20100914Application.pdf

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CenturyLinkrM
Idaho PUblic Utin
Offce Of th~ ':: Commission
R ~ C IE i V i'5tary
SEP 16 2010
Boe, Idaho
September 10, 20:10
VIA OVERNIGHT MAIL
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Mrs. Jean Jewell
Secretary to the Commission
Idaho Public Utilties Commission
472 West Wasngton Street
Boise, Idaho 83702
RE: Local Interconnection Agreement for Traffc Exchange between CenturyTel of
Idaho, Inc. d//a CenturyLink and CenturTel of the Gem State, Inc. d//a
CentuLink and Eltopia Communications, LLC
Dear Mrs. Jewell:
CenturyTel ofIdaho, Inc. dlb/aCcnturLink and Centuel of the Gem State~ Inc. d//a
CenturyLink (collectively "CeniuryLink") hereby submit for approval by the Idaho
Public Utilities Commission ("Commission") the enclosed Interconnection and Traffc
Exchange Agreement ("Agreement") which provides for interconnection and exchange of
traffic between CenturLin and Eltopia Communications, LLC ("Eltopia"). This
agreement was reached through voluntar negotiations without resort to mediation or
arbitration and is submitted for approval pursuant to SectiQn 252(e) of the
Comnunications Act of 1934, as amended by the Telecommunications Act of i 996 ("the
Act") and the requirements ofIdaho Administrative Code, 31.42.01, Rule 408.
Section 252(e)(2) of the Act directs that a state Commission may reject an agreement
reached though voluntar negotiations only if the Commission finds that
.. the agreement (or portion thereof) discrimiates against a telecommunications
carer not a party to the agreeent, or
· the implementation of such agreement or portion is not consistent with the public
interest, convenience and necessity.
CenturyT et respectfuJly submits that the Agreement provides no basis for either of these
findings, and therefore requests that the Commission approve the Agreement
expedîtiously. First the Agreement does not discriminate against any other
telecommunications carier because Centurel has made the terms~ofthe Agrement
Centurynk
805 Broadway
Ms. Jean JeweU
September 10,2010
Page 2
availäble to other carrer. Second, the Agreement is consistent with the public interest as
identified in Uie pro-competitive policies ofUie State ofldaho, the Commssion, the U.S.
Congress and the Federal Communications Commssion. The Agreement wil enable the
local connection to provide service to, and interconnect with, a greater number of
telecommi.cations èustomers in Idaho. Expeditious approval ofthis Agreement wil
facilitate immediate competition in the telecommunications market.
CenturyLink further requests that theCornssion approve ths Agreement withôut a
hearng and without allowig the intervention of other parties. Because this Agreeent
was reached through voluntar negotiations, it does not raise issues requiring a hearng
and does not concern other paries not a par of the negotiations. Expeditious approval
would furher the public interest.
Enclosed are an original and three copies of ths filing. if you have any questions
regarding this matter, please contact me pe the infonnation included below.
V cry truly yours,
G/~.gl4-
Jackie Phillps
Regional Manager-Carier Relations
cc: Will Lee MacHugh, Eltopia Communications, LLC
Enclosues
CenturyLink™
TRAFIC EXCHANGE AGREEMENT
By and between
CENTURYTEL OF THE GEM STATE, INC.
D/B/A CENTURYLINK
CENTURYTEL OF IDAHO, INC.
D/B/A CENTURYLINK
AND
ELTOPIA COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
FOR THE STATE OF IDAHO
Eltopia Communcations, LLC - CentuLink
Idao Traffc Exchange Agreement - Rural
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE & REClT ALS .......................................................................................................................................... 3
ARTICLE I: PUROSE, INTENT AND SCOPE OF AGREEMENT ................................................................. 4
1.0 PUROSE OF THE AGREEMENT ....................................................,........................................4
2.0 INTENT OF THE AGREEMENT ................................................................................................4
3.0 SCOPE OF THE AGREEMENT .................................................................................................. 4
ARTICLE II: DEFINITIONS .................................................................................................................................. 6
1.0 GENERA RULES ........................................................................................................................ 6
2.0 DEFINITIONS ............................................................................................................................... 6
ARTICLE III: GENERA TERMS & CONDITIONS ....................................................................................... 27
I. GENERA TERMS AND CONDITIONS REGARING APPLICATION, EFFECTIVE DATE, TERM
AND GOVERNING LAW ........................................................................................................................27
1.0 APPLICATION OF THESE GENERA TERMS & CONDITIONS...................................... 27
2.0 EFFECTIVE DATE, TERM & TERMINATION ..................................................................... 27
3.0 APPLICABLE LAW .................................................................................................................... 30
II. OTHR GENERA TERMS & CONDITIONS ............................................................................................. 31
4.0 AMENDMENTS .......................................................................................................................... 31
5.0 ASSIGNMENT ............................................................................................................................. 31
6.0 ASSURNCE OF PAYMENT ....................................................................................................32
7.0 AUDITS.........................................................................................................................................33
8.0 AUTHORIZATION AND AUTHORITY .................................................................................. 36
9.0 BILLING & P A YMENTSIDISPUTED AMOUNTS ................................................................. 37
10.0 INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK............................................................................................39
1 1.0 CAPACITY PLANNING AND FORECASTS........................................................................... 39
12.0 CHANGES IN LAW .................................................................................................................... 40
13.0 CLEC PROFILE .......................................................................................................................... 42
14.0 CONFIENTIAL INFORMATION .......................................................................................... 42
15.0 CONSENT ....................................................................................................................................44
16.0 CONTACTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES .................................................................................44
17.0 CONTACTS WITH CUSTOMERS ........................................................................................... 44
18.0 COUNTERP ARTS....................................................................................................................... 44
19.0 INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.....................................................................44
20.0 DISPUTE RESOLUTION ........................................................................................................... 44
21.0 ENTIRE AGREEMENT ............................................................................................................. 47
22.0 EXPENSES ...................................................................................................................................47
23.0 FORCE MAJEUR ..................................................................................................................... 47
24.0 FRUD..........................................................................................................................................48
25.0 GOOD FAITH PERFORMANCE .............................................................................................. 48
26.0 HEADINGS .................................................................................................................................. 49
27.0 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ................................................................................................. 49
28.0 LAW ENFORCEMENT .............................................................................................................. 50
29.0 INTENTIONALLYLEFTBLANK............................................................................................ 51
30.0 LIABILITY AN INDEMNIFCATION .................................................................................. 51
31.0 NETWORK MANAGEMENT.................................................................... ................................5532.0 NON-EXCLUSIVE REMEDIES ................................................................................................ 56
Eltopia Communcations, LLC - CentuLink
Idao Traffc Exchange Agreement - Rural
Page 1 of 102
33.0 NOTICE OF NETWORK CHAGES ....................................................................................... 56
34.0 NOTICES......................................................................................................................................57
35.0 ORDERING AND MAINTENANCE ......................................................................................... 57
36.0 POINTS OF CONTACT FOR ELTOPIA CUSTOMERS ........................................................ 58
37.0 PUBLICITY AN USE OF TRAEMAR............................................................................ 58
38.0 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 59
39.0 RELATIONSIDP OF THE PARTIES........................................................................................ 59
40.0 RESERVATION OF RIGHTS............................................................... ..................................... 60
41.0 STANDAR PRACTICES.......................................................................................................... 61
42.0 SUBCONTRACTORS ................................................................................................................. 61
43.0 SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS - BINING EFFECT ............................................................. 61
44.0 SURVIAL...................................................................................................................................61
45.0 TAXS ..........................................................................................................................................61
46.0 TBD PRICES ...............................................................................................:................................ 63
47.0 TECHNOLOGY UPGRAES .................................................................................................... 63
48.0 TERRTORY ............................................................................................................................... 63
49.0 THIRD-PARTY BENEFICIARES ........................................................................................... 63
50.0 UNAUTHORIZED CHANGES ..................................................................................................64
51.0 USE OF SERVICE ....................................................................................................................... 64
52.0 W AIER....................................................................................................................................... 64
53.0 WITHDRAWAL OF SERVICES ............................................................................................... 64
ARTICLE IV: INTERCONNECTION AN TRASPORT AN TERMINATION OF TRAFIC .............. 65
1.0 SERVICES COVERED BY THIS ARTICLE ................................................................................... 65
2.0 NETWORK INTERCONNECTION METHODS............................................................................. 65
3.0 INTERCONNECTION TRUNKING REQUIREMENTS................................................................ 71
4.0 MUTUAL COMPENSATION FOR TRASPORT, TERMINATION, AND
TRASITING OF LOCAL TRAFIC ...................................................................................... 82
5.0 APPLICABILITY OF OTHR RATES, TERMS AND CONDITIONS .......................................90
ARTICLE V: MAITENANCE ............................................................................................................................ 91
1.0 GENERA MAITENANCE & REPAI REQUIMENTS .............................................. 91
2.0 MAINTENANCE & REPAI PROCEDURS ........................................................................ 91
3.0 ESCALATION PROCEDURS ................................................................................................. 92
4.0 EMERGENCY RESTORATION ............................................................................................... 92
5.0 MISDIRECTED REPAIR CALLS............................................................................................. 92
6.0 PRICING ...................................................................................................................................... 93
ARTICLE VI: ADDITIONAL SERVICES...........................................................................................................94
1.0 NUMBER PORTABILITY .........................................................................................................94
2.0 ACCESS TO POLES, DUCTS~ CONDUITS AND RIGHTS-OF-WAy.................................. 97
3.0 TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR PROVIDING INTERCONNECTION AND
DATABASE ACCESS FOR 9111E911 SERVICES ................................................................... 97
4.0 DIRECTORY LISTINGS & DIRCTORY DISTRIUTION ................................................ 97
5.0 NETWORK INTERFACE DEVICE.......................................................................................... 98
ARTICLE VII: PRICING..................................................................................................................................... 100
I. GENERA PRICING...................................................................... .......................................... 100
II. INTERCONNECTION PRICING ........................................................................................... 101
SIGNATUR PAGE ..............................................................................................................................................102
Eltopia Communcations, LLC - CentuyLink
Idaho Traffic Exchange Agreement - Rural
Page 2 of102
AGREEMENT
PREFACE & RECITALS
Thìs Traffc Exchange Agreement (the "Agreement"), ìs by and between CenturTel of the Gem
State, Inc. d//a CentuLink, and CenturTel of Idaho, Inc. d//a CentuLìnk, wìth ìts address
for puroses of thìs Agreement at 100 CenturLìnk Drive, Monroe, Louìsìana 71203
("CenturLìnk"), and Eltopia Communicatìons, LLC, ìn ìts capacìty as a certified provìder of
local wìrelìne Telecommuncatìons Servìce ("ELTOPIA"), wìth ìts address forthìs Agreement at
P.O. Box 240, Eltopìa, Wasmngton 99330 (CentuLìnk and ELTOPIA being referred to
collectìvely as the "Parìes" and each ìndìvìdually as a "Pary"). Thìs Agreement covers servìces
in the State ofIdao only (the "State").
WHEREAS, ìnterconnectìon between Local Exchange Carers (LECs) ìs necessary and
desìrable for the mutual exchange and terminatìon of traffic origìnatìng on each LEC's network;
and
WHEREAS, the Parìes desìre to exchange such traffc and related sìgnalìng ìn a technìcally and
economìcally efficìent maner at defined and mutually agreed upon interconnectìon points; and
WHEREAS, the Parìes wìsh to enter into an agreement to ìnterconnect theìr respectìve
telecommunìcatìons networks on terms that are faìr and equìtable to both Parìes; and
WHEREAS, Sectìon 251 of the Telecommuncatìons Act of 1996 (the "Act") ìmposes specìfic
oblìgatìons on LECs wìth respect to the ìnterconnectìon of their networks and access to theìr
poles, ducts, conduìts and rights-of-way;
NOW, THEREFORE, ìn consìderatìon of the mutual provìsions contaìned hereìn and other
good and valuable consìderatìon, the receìpt and sufficìency of whìch are hereby acknowledged,
and wìthout waìving any reservatìon of rights set forth hereìn, CentuLìnk and ELTOPIA
hereby covenant and agree as follows:
Eltopia Communcations, LLC - CentuLink
Idao Traffc Exchange Agreement - Rural
Page 3 ofl02
ARTICLE I: PURPOSE, INTENT AND SCOPE OF AGREEMENT
1.0 PURPOSE OF THE AGREEMENT
Pursuant to thìs Agreement, the Parìes wìl extend certaìn arangements to one another
wìthi each area ìn wmch they both operate within the State for puroses of
ìnterconnectìon and the exchange of Local Traffic between theìr respectìve End User
Customers, and for provìdìng recìprocal access to poles, ducts, conduìts and rights-of-
way. . Thìs Agreement wìl be submìtted to the State Publìc Servìce or Publìc Utìlìties
Commìssìon, as applìcable (the "Commissìon") for approval. The Parìes agree that theìr
entr ìnto this Agreement ìs wìthout prejudìce to and does not waìve any posìtìons they
may have taken previously, or may take in the futue, in any legìslatìve, regulatory,
judìcial or other publìc . foru addressìng any matters, ìncludìng matters related to the
same types of arangements and/or matters related to CenturLìnk's rates and cost
recovery that may be covered ìn tms Agreement. ELTOPIA agrees to accept these terms
and condìtìons wìth CenturLìnk based on tms Agreement as recìprocal where
applìcable.
2.0 INTENT OF THE AGREEMENT
Whereas Sectìons 251 and 252 of the Telecommuncatìons Act of 1996, as amended from
time to time, ìmpose specific oblìgatìons on the Parìes to interconnect with each other's
networks and access to certaìn servìces and facìlìtìes, the terms and condìtìons contaìned
ìn thìs Agreement are ìntended to set forth the specìfic arangements and servìces by
whìch the Parìes wìl discharge theìr respectìve obligatìons under Applìcable Law.
Furhermore, to the extent they apply to CenturLìnk's provìsìon of servìces and/or
facìlìtìes to ELTOPIA, such terms are ìntended to apply only to the extent requìred by
Applìcable Law.
CentuLìnk represents and warants that ìt ìs a "rual telephone company" as that term ìs
defined ìn the Act, 47 U.S.C. 153. Pursuant to Sectìon 251 (f)(1) ofthe Act, CentuLìnk
ìs exempt from Sectìon 251 (c) of the Act. Notwìthstandìng such exemptìon,
CentuLìnk has entered ìnto and accepted thìs Agreement for puroses of exchangìng
local traffic, as defined hereìn, wìth ELTOPIA. CentuLink's executìon of the
Agreement does not ìn any way constìtute a waìver or lìmìtatìon of CenturLìnk's rights
under Sectìon 251 (f)(l) or 251 (f)(2) of the Act. Accordingly, CenturyLìnk expressly
reserves the right to assert ìts right to an exemptìon or waìver and modìficatìon of Sectìon
251 ( c) of the Act, in response to other requests for ìnterconnection by ELTOPIA or any
other carrer.
3.0 SCOPE OF THE AGREEMENT
The following constìtute pars oftms Agreement:
Agreement:
Arìcle I:
Preface & Recìtals
Purose, Intent and Scope of Agreement
Eltopia Communcations, LLC - CentuLin
Idaho Traffc Exchange Agreement - Rural
Page 4 of 102
Arìcle II:
Arìcle III:
Aricle IV:
Defitìons
General Terms & Condìtìons
Interconnectìon & Transport & Termìnatìon of
Traffic (Interconnectìon)
Maintenance
Addìtìonal Servìces (N; Access to Poles, Ducts,
Conduìt & ROWs; 911/E911; Dìrectory
Serce & Dìstrbutìon)
Arìcle VII: Pricìng
Sìgnatue Page
Arìcle V:
Arìcle VI:
The terms and condìtìons set forth ìn the Agreement, together wìth those set fort ìn ìts
gìven Arìcles, are integrally and legìtìmately related, and shall govern the provìsion of
servìces and/or facìlìties by CenturLìnk to ELTOPIA.
Eltopia Communcations, LLC - CentuLin
Idaho Traffc Exchange Agreement - Rurl
Page 5 of 102
ARTICLE II: DEFINITIONS
1.0 GENERA RULES
1.1 Unless the context clearly ìndìcates otherwise, the definitìons set forth in Sectìon
2 of thìs Arìcle II shall apply to all Arìcles and Appendìces contained in thìs
Agreement. A defined term ìntended to convey the meanìng stated ìn tms Arìcle
II ìs capìtalìzed when used.
1.2 Addìtìonal definitìons that are specìfic to the matters covered ìn a paricular
Arcle, Appendìx or provìsìon may appear in that Aricle, Appendìx or provìsìon.
To the extent that there ìs any conflct between a definìtìon set fort ìn tms Arìcle
II and any definìtìon ìn a specìfic Arìcle, Appendìx or provìsìon, the definitìon
set forth ìn the specìfic Arìcle, Appendìx or provìsìon shall control wìth respect
to that Arìcle, Appendìx or provìsion.
1.3 Capìtalìzed terms that are not otherwìse defined ìn thìs Arìcle II or Agreement
but are defined ìn the Telecommuncations Act of 1996 ("Act") and/or the orders
and rules implementìng the Act shall have the meanìng set forth ìn the Act or ìn
such orders and rules.
1.4 Terms used ìn a Tariff shall have the meanngs stated ìn the Tarff or State Price
Lìst ìn states where detarffing regulatìon has been ìmplemented.
1.5 Unless the context clearly indìcates otherwìse, any term defined ìn thìs Arìcle II
whìch ìs defined or used ìn the sìngular shall ìnclude the plural, and any ter
defined ìn tms Arìcle II whìch ìs defined or used in the plural shall ìnclude the
sìngular.
1.6 The words "shall" and "wìl" are used ìnterchangeably throughout the Agreement
and the use of either ìndìcates a mandatory requìrement. The use of one or the
other shall not confer a dìfferent degree of right or oblìgatìon for eìther Pary.
2.0 DEFINITIONS
2.1 Access Service Request (ASR)
The Ordering and Bìlìng Foru document desìgnated by CentuLìnk to be used
by the Parìes to add, establìsh, change or dìsconnect servìces or trs for the
purose of provìding Interconnectìon specìal access and Swìtched Access
Servìces.
2.2 Access Tandem Switch
A Local Exchange Carer (LEC) swìtchìng system that ìs used to connect and
swìtch trnk cìrcuìts between and among the LEC's Central Office network and
Interexchange Carrers' networks.
Eltopia Communcations, LLC - CentuLin
Idaho Traffc Exchange Agreement - Rural
Page 6 of 102
2.3 "Act" or "the Act"
The Communcations Act of 1934, as amended by the Telecommuncatìons Act of
1996, and as amended from tìme to tìme and codìfied at 47 U.S.C. §§ 151, et seq.
2.4 Advanced Services
"Advanced Servìces" means ìntrastate or ìnterstate wìrelìne Telecommuncatìons
Servìces (includìng, but not lìmìted to, ADSL, IDSL, xDSL, Frame Relay and
Cell Relay) that rely on packetìzed or Packet Swìtched technology that enable
users to origìnate and receìve mgh-qualìty voìce, data, graphics and/or video
telecommunicatìons using any technology.
2.5 Mfiliate
"Affilìate" shall have the meanìng set forth ìn § 153(1) of the Act.
2.6 Alternate Tandem Provider
A thìrd-pary Tandem Provìder.
2.7 Answer Supervision
An off-hook supervìsory sìgnaL.
2.8 Applicable Law
All effectìve laws, statutes, common law, governental regulatìons, ordìnances,
codes, rules, guìdelìnes, orders, permìts and approvals of any governental
authority (ìncludìng, wìthout lìmìtatìon, the Commìssìon and the FCC) that apply
to the subject matter of this Agreement.
2.9 Intentìonally left blan.
2.10 Automated Message Accounting (AMA)
The strcture ìnherent ìn swìtch technology that ìnìtìally records
telecommunìcatìon message ìnformatìon. AMA format ìs contaìned ìn the
Automated Message Accountìng document, published by Telcordìa Technologìes
as GR-11 OO-CORE, whìch defines the ìndustr standard for message recordìng.
2.11 Automatic Location IdentifcationlData Management System (ALIIDMS)
The emergency servìces (E-911/911) database containing customer locatìon
ìnformatìon (ìncluding name, address, telephone number, and sometìmes, specìal
ìnformatìon from the local servìce provìder) used to process subscriber access
records ìnto Automatìc Locatìon Identificatìon (ALI) records.
Eltopia Communcations, LLC - CentuLink
Idaho Traffc Exchange Agreement - Rural
Page 7 of 102
2.12 "Bil-and-Keep" or "Bil-and-Keep Arrangement"
A compensatìon arrangement whereby the Parìes do not render bìls to each other
for the termìnatìon of traffic. Under a Bìl-and-Keep Arangement, a Pary
termìnates such traffic originating from End Users of the other Pary wìthout
explicìtly chargìng the origìnatìng Pary.
2.13 Bil Date
The effectìve date for whìch a CenturLìnk servìce ìs bìled and/or ìnvoìced to a
customer. The Bìl Date shall be the date one day past the bìlìng cycle close date.
The Bìl Date ìs the same date each month for recurng bìls and ìs ìncluded on
any such bìl or ìnvoìce.
2.14 Bil Due Date
Refers to the date that a bìl or ìnvoìce ìs due and payable. The Bìl Due Date
shall be the date thìrty (30) days from the Bill Date.
2.15 Business Day
Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm Central Standard or Daylìght Savìngs tìme,
except for (1) holìdays observed by the Unìted States governent; (2) days on
whìch the non-priority U.S. maìl ìs not delivered; and (3) company holidays on
whìch CenturLìnk ìs officìally closed for busìness and except as otherwse
specìfically stated or provìded for ìn other documentation ìncorporated into thìs
agreement.
2.16 Carrier Identifcation Code (CIC)
Four-dìgìt numbers used by End User Customers to reach the servìces of
Interexchange Carers (IXCs).
2. i 7 Central Office (CO)
A telephone company buìldìng where customer lìnes are joìned to a swìtch or
swìtches for connectìon to the PSTN.
2.18 Central Office Switch
A swìtch used to provìde Telecommunìcatìons Servìces ìncludìng (1) End Office
Swìtches whìch are Class 5 swìtches from whìch end-user Telephone Exchange
Servìces are dìrectly connected and offered, and (2) Tandem Office Swìtches
whìch are Class 4 swìtches used to connect and swìtch tru circuìts between and
among Central Office Swìtches. Central Offce Swìtches may be employed as
combìnatìon End Office/Tandem Office Swìtches (combìnation Class 5/Class 4).
Eltopia Communcations, LLC - CentuLink
Idaho Traffc Exchage Agreement - Rural
Page 8 of 102
2.19 CenturyLink Operating Company (CTOC) or CenturyLink
The single CentuLìnk Operating Company ìn the State that ìs a Pary to thìs
Agreement.
2.20 CenturyLink Service Guide
The CenturLìnk Service Guìde ìs a document that contains CentuLìnk's
operatìng procedures for servìce ordering, provìsioning, bìlìng, maitenance,
trouble reportìng and repaìr for wholesale servìces. Except as specìfically
provìded otherwìse ìn ths Agreement, CentuLìnk's processes for servìce
ordering, provisìoning, bìling, maìntenance, trouble reporting and repair shall be
governed by the CentuyLìnk Servìce Guìde, whìch may be amended from tìme to
time by CentuLìnk as needed.
2.21 Certifcate of Operating Authority
A certificatìon by the State Commìssìon that ELTOPIA has been authorized to
operate wìthin the State as a provìder of local Telephone Exchange Servìces
witmn CentuLink's local servìce area; ìn many states thìs certìficatìon ìs known
as a Certìficate of Public Convenìence and Necessìty.
2.22 CLEC Profile
A CenturLìnk form requìred to be completed and submìtted to CenturyLìnk by
any Telecommuncatìons Carer requestìng to ìnterconnect or exchange traffic
wìth CentuLìnk's network or the abìlìty to ìnìtìate any order submìssìon to
CenturLìnk. Among other thìngs, a Telecommunìcatìon Carer ìs requìred to
provìde CentuLink, on the CLEC Profile, the following: ìts Operatìng
Company Number (OCN), Company Code (CC), and Customer Carer Name
Abbrevìatìon (CCNA).
2.23 CLLI Codes
Common Language Locatìon Identìfier Codes.
2.24 Commission
The State Publìc Servìce or Publìc Utìlìty Commìssìon, as applìcable.
2.25 Common Channel Signaling (CCS)
A mgh-speed, specìalìzed, packet-switched communìcatìons network that ìs
separate (out-of-band) from the publìc packet-swìtched and message networks.
CCS cares addressed sìgnalìng messages for ìndivìdual tr cìrcuìts and/or
database-related servìces between Sìgnalìng Poìnts ìn the CCS network usìng SS7
sìgnalìng protocol.
Eltopia Communications, LLC - CentuLink
Idaho Traffc Exchange Agreement - Rural
Page 9 of102
2.26 Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC)
A "Local Exchange Carer," as defined ìn § 153(26) of the Act, authorized to
provìde Telephone Exchange Serices or Exchange Access servìces ìn
competìtìon wìth an ILEC.
2.27 Contract Year
A twelve (12) month period durng the term of the Agreement commencìng on the
Effectìve Date and eachanìversary thereof.
2.28 Conversation Time
The tìme that both Parìes' equìpment ìs used for a completed call, measured from
the receìpt of Answer Supervìsìon to the receìpt ofDìsconnect Supervisìon.
2.29 Dedicated Transport
A transmissìon path between one of CenturyLìnk's Wìre Centers or swìtches and
another of CentuLìnk's Wìre Centers or swìtches wìthìn the same LATA and
State.
2.30 Disconnect Supervision
An on-hook supervìsory sìgnal end at the completìon of a call.
2.31 Disputed Amounts
An amount or any portìon of bìl or ìnvoìce sent to a Pary that the bìled Pary
contends, in good faìth, ìs not due and payable. For an amount to qualìfy as a
Dìsputed Amount, the bìled Pary must provìde wrtten notìce to the bìllng Pary
of the nature and amount of the dìsputed charge(s) usìng the process and tìme
period establìshed by the bìlìng Pary.
2.32 DS-l
A servìce havìng a total dìgìtal sìgnal speed of 1.544 Mbps.
2.33 DSI Dedicated Transport
CenturLìnk ìnteroffice transmìssìon facìlìtìes that have a total dìgital sìgnal
speed of 1.544 Mbps and are dedìcated to a parìcular customer or carer.
2.34 DS-3
A servìce havìng a total dìgìtal sìgnal speed of 44.736 Mbps.
Eltopia Communications, LLC - CentuLink
Idao Traffic Exchange Agreement - Rural
Page 10 of 102
2.35 DS3 Dedicated Transport
CentuLìnk ìnteroffice transmìssìon facìlìtìes that have a total digìtal sìgnal
speed of 44.736 Mbps and are dedìcated to a parìcular customer or carer.
2.36 E-911 Service
An emergency telephone system whìch Ìncludes network swìtchìng, database and
CPE elements capable of provìdìng selectìve routing, selectìve transfer, fixed
transfer, caller routìng and locatìon informatìon, and/or ALI and ìs used to route
911 calls to a PSAP that uses a customer locatìon database to determine the
locatìon to wmch a call should be routed.
2.37 Effective Date
The date on wmch the last Pary to thìs Agreement executes the Agreement,
unless prior Commìssìon approval ìs requìred ìn order to make the Agreement
effectìve between theParìes except that the ìnitìatìon of a new ELTOPIA
account, any new provìsìon of servìce or oblìgatìon or any revìsìon to curently
exìstìng servìces or oblìgatìons shall not take effect for 60 days to accommodate
requìred ìnìtìal processes. If such Commìssìon approval ìs requìred, the Effectìve
Date shall be either the date on whìch the Commìssìon deems the Agreement
approved or, the date on wmch the Commìssìon deems the Agreement effectìve,
whichever the case may be.
2.38 Electronic File Transfer (EFT)
A system or process that utìlìzes an electronìc format and protocol to send/receìve
data files.
2.39 End Office
The telephone company office from whìch the End User receives exchange
servìce.
2.40 End Offce Switch
A swìtchìng machìne that dìrectly termìnates traffic to and receìves traffc from
End Users purchasìng local Telephone Exchange Servìce. A PBX ìs not
consìdered an End Office Switch.
2.41 "End User" or "End User Customer"
Any ìndìvìdual, busìness, assocìatìon, corporatìon, governent agency or entìty
other than an Interexchange Carrer (IXC), Competìtìve Access Provìder (CAP)
or Commercìal Mobìle Radìo Servìce (CMRS) provìder (also known as a
Wìreless Carer) that subscribes to Telecommunicatìons Servìces provìded by
eÌther of the Parìes and does not resell ìt to others. As used hereìn, thìs term
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does not ìnclude any of the Parìes to tms Agreement wìth respect to any ìtem or
servce obtaìned under this Agreement.
2.42 Enhanced Service Provider (ESP)
A provìder of enhanced servìces as those servìces are defined ìn 47 C.F.R. §
64.702. An Internet Servìce Provìder (ISP) is an Enhanced Servìce Provìder.
2.43 Entrance Facilty
Special Access cìrcuìt(s) that connects CentuLìnk's network and ELTOPIA's
network or the locatìon of ELTOPIA's equìpment. For example, an Entrance
Facìlty ìs transmissìon facìlty that provides telecommunìcatìons between
CenturLìnk's swìtches or Wìre Centers and ELTOPIA's switches, Wìre Centers
or equìpment locatìons.
2.44 Exchange Access
Exchange Access shall have the meanng set forth ìn § 153(16) the Act.
2.45 Exchange Message Interface (EMil
An Exchange Message Interface ìs the standard used for the exchange of
telecommunìcatìons message informatìon among Telecornuncatìons Carers
for bìlable, non-bìlable, sample, settlement, and study data. An Exchange
Message Interface (EMI) was formerly known as an Exchange Message Record
(EMR).
2.46 Intentionally left blank.
2.47 Facilty
All buìldìngs, equìpment, strctures and other ìtems located on asìngle sìte or
contìguous or adjacent sìtes owned or operated by the same persons or person as
used in Arìcle III.
2.48 FCC
The Federal Communìcatìons Commìssìon.
2.49 Foreign Exchange (F
Servìce offerings of local exchange carers that are purchased by customers and
whìch allow such customers to obtaìn Telephone Exchange Servìce from a
mandatory local callìng area other than the mandatory local callìng area in whìch
the customer ìs physìcally located. Examples of thìs type of servìce include, but
are not limìted to, Foreìgn Exchange Servìce, CENTREX wìth Foreìgn Exchange
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Telephone Servce Optìon, and ISDN-PRI Out-of-Callìng Scope (both Two-Way
and Terminatìng Only).
2.50 Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (lLEC)
An "Incumbent Local Exchange Carer" or "ILEC" shall have the meanìng set
fort ìn 47 U.S.c. § 251(h).
2.51 Indirect Network Connection
A method of Interconnectìon for the exchange of Local Traffic between two
Telecommunìcatìons Carers where the networks of such Telecommuncatìons
Carers are not directly connected.
2.52 Information Access
Specìalized exchange telecommuncatìons services provìsìoned by a
. Telecommunìcatìons Carrer ìn an exchange area ìn connectìon wìth the
origìnatìon, terminatìon, transmìssìon, swìtchìng, forwardìng or routìng of
telecommunìcatìons traffic to or from the facìlìtìes of an Informatìon Servìce
Provìder for the provìsìon of an Informatìon Servìce.
2.53 Intentionally Left Blank
2.54 Information Service Provider
A provìder of Informatìon Servìce, as that term is defined ìn 47 U.S.C. § 153(20).
Informatìon Servìce Provìder ìncludes, but ìs not lìmìted to, Internet Servìce
Provìder (ISP).
2.55 Initial Service Order
An order submìtted by ELTOPIA to CenturyLìnk ìnitìally ordering a port or other
servìce requìred by thìs Agreement.
2.56 Intellectual Propert
For puroses of thìs Agreement, "Intellectual Property" means (a) ìnventìons
(whether patentable or unpatentable and whether or not reduced to practìce), all
ìmprovements thereto, patents, patent applìcatìons and patent dìsclosures, and all
reìssuances, contìnuatìons, revìsìons, extensìons and re-examinatìons thereof, (b)
trademarks, servìce marks, trade dress, logos, trade names, domaìn names and
corporate names, and translations, adaptìons, derivatìons and combìnatìons
thereof and goodwìl assocìated therewìth, and all applìcatìons, regìstratìons and
renewals ìn connectìon therewìth, (c) copyrghtable works, copyrghts and
applìcatìons, regìstratìons and renewals relatìng thereto, (d) mask works and
applìcatìons, regìstratìons and renewals relatìng thereto, (e) trade secrets and
confidentìal business informatìon (ìncludìng ìdeas, research and development,
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know-how, formulae, composìtìons, manufacturng and productìon processes and
technìques, technìcal data, desìgns, drawìngs, specìficatìons, customer and
supplìer lìsts, pricìng and cost ìnformatìon, and busìness and marketing plans and
. proposals), (f) computer softare (includìng data and related documentatìon), (g)
other proprietar rights, and (h) copìes and tangìble embodìments thereof (ìn
whatever form or medìum).
2.57 Intellectual Propert Claim
For purposes of thìs Agreement, "Intellectual Property Claim" means any actual
or threatened claim, actìon or proceeding relatìng to Intellectual Property.
2.58 Interconnection
"Interconnectìon" shall have the meanìng set forth ìn 47 U.S.c. § 251(c)(2), and
refers, in this Agreement, to the connection between networks for the
transmìssìon and routìng of Telephone Exchange Servìce and Exchange Access.
This term does not ìnclude the transport and termìnatìon of traffc.
2.59 Interconnection Facilty
The physìcal connectìon of separate pìeces of equìpment and transmission
facìlìtìes wìthìn, between and among networks, for the transmìssìon and routìng
of Telephone Exchange Servìce and Exchange Access.
2.60 Interexchange Carrier (lXC)
A carer that provìdes, dìrectly or ìndìrectly, InterLATA or IntraLATA
Telephone Toll Servìce.
2.61 InterLATA Toll Traffic
Telecommuncatìons traffic between a poìnt located ìn a LATA and a poìnt
located outsìde such LATA.
2.62 Internet Service Provider (lSP)
An Enhanced Servìce Provìder that provìdes Internet servìces and is defined ìn
paragraph 341 of the FCC's FÌrst Report and Order ìn CC Docket No. 97-158.
2.63 IntraLATA Toll Traffc
Telecommuncatìons traffc between two locatìons wìthin one LATA where one
of the locatìons lìes outsìde of the CenturyLìnk Local Callng Area as defined
CenturLink's local exchange Tariff on file wìth the Commìssìon. Optìonal EAS
Traffic ìs ìncluded ìn IntraLATA Toll Traffc.
2.64 Intentionally Left Blank
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2.65 ISDN User Part aSUP)
A par of the SS7 protocol that defines call setup messages and call takedown
messages.
2.66 ISP-Bound Traffic
Traffic that ìs dìrected, eìther dìrectly or ìndìrectly, to or through an Internet
servìce provìder (ISP) who ìs physìcally located ìn an exchange witmn the Local
Calling Area of the originatìng End User. Traffic dìrected to or through an ISP
physìcally located outsìde the Local Callng Area of the originating End User wìll
be consìdered Exchange Access traffic. Identìficatìon of such ISP Bound Traffic
shall ìnìtìally be accomplìshed usìng the rebuttable presumptìon that Local
Traffic exchanged between the Parìes that exceeds a 3:1 ratio of termìnatìng to
originatìng traffic ìs ISP Bound Traffic, pursuant to the FCC's Order on Remand
and Report and Order, FCC 01-131. CC Dockets No. 96-98 and 99-68, adopted
April 18, 2001. ("ISP Remand Order") Eìther Pary may use as the basìs for
rebuttìng such presumptìon confirmatìon of assìgned ISP dial-up numbers and
receipt of modem tone when a number ìs called or any other mutually agreed to
methodology. Should the Partìes be unable to agree on such methodology for
rebutting the 3: 1 presumptìon, eìther Par may ìnvoke the dìspute resolutìon
provìsion of the Agreement.
2.67 Jointly-Provided Switched Access Service Traffc
Traffic where both CenturLìnk's network and ELTOPIA's network are used to
origìnate Swìtched Access Servìce traffic by one of the Pary's End User
Customers to be delìvered to an Interexchange Carer (IXC) for call completìon,
or where both CentuLìnk's network and ELTOPIA's network are used to
termnate Swìtched Access Servìce traffic delìvered by an IXC to one of the
Pary's End User Customers.
2.68 Line Side
Refers to an End Offce Swìtch connectìon that ìs connected to an ordìnar
telephone statìon set, ìncludìng the connectìon between a loop termìnatìon at, for
example, a main dìstrbutìon frame (MF) and a swìtch lìne card. Lìne sìde
connectìons offer only those transmìssìon and sìgnaling features appropriate for
the connectìon between an End Office and an ordìnar telephone set, and canot
be used for the dìrect connectìon of swìtcmng entìtìes.
2.69 Local Access and Transport Area (LATA)
"Local Access and Transport Area" or "LATA" shall have the meanìng set fort
ìn § 153(25) of the Act.
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2.70 Local Callng Area (LCA)
Local Callng Area (LCA) traffic ìs traffic origìnates and termìnates in the local
exchange area, and any mandatory Extended Area Servìce (EAS) exchanges, as
defined ìn CenturLìnk's local exchange tarffs.
2.71 Local Exchange Carrier (LEC)
"Local Exchange Carrer" or "LEe" shall have the meanìng set forth ìn§ 153(26)
of the Act.
2.72 Local Exchange Routing Guide (LERG)
The Telcordìa Technologìes reference customarily used to ìdentìfy NP A-NXX
routìng and homìng informatìon, as well as equìpment desìgnatìon.
2.73 Local Traffic
For puroses of Arìcle iv of this Agreement, Local Traffc is traffc (excludìng
CMRS traffc) that ìs physìcally origìnated and terminated wìth the CentuLin
Local Calling Area regardless of the technology used (e.g. TDM, IP~ analog,
dìgìtal, etc.) to origìnate or terminate such traffc. Local Traffic does not ìnclude
optìonal local callìng (ì.e., optìonal rate packages that permìt the end-user to
choose a Local Callìng Area beyond the basìc exchange servìng area for an
additìonal fee), referred to hereafter as "optional EAS".
2.74 "Local Interconnection Trunk" or "Local Interconnection Trunk Groups"
One-way or two-way trs or tr groups used to car Local Traffic.
2.75 Local Service Request (LSR)
The Ordering and Bìlìng Forum document desìgnated by CenturLìnk to be used
by the Parìes to establish, add, change or dìsconnect local Telecommunìcatìons
Servìces for the purose of provìdìng competitìve local Telecommuncatìons
Servìces. Sometìmes referred to as a Servìce Order.
2.76 Loop Facilty Charge
An addìtìonal charge applìed to all LSRs when fieldwork ìs required. Loop
FacìlìtyCharge ìs applìed on a per LSR basìs.
2.77 Main Distribution Frame (MDF)
A dìstrbutìon frame or equìvalent at the Central Office where ports ìnsìde such
Central Office connect to an outsìde transmissìon facìlìty.
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2.78 Mass Callng Trunks
Mass Callìng Trus are trs desìgned to handle hìgh call volumes for a wìde
range of applìcatìons, wìth or WÌthout caller interactìon wìth Interactìve Voìce
Response or touch-tone navigatìon. Mass Callng Trus typìcally are assocìated
wìth televìsìon or radìo and allow customers to use theìr telephone to express an
opìnìon, such as voting on ìnteractìve televìsion shows, publìc opìnion pollng,
sureys, ìnformatìon and contests usìng a vìrtal call center.
2.79 Meet Point
A Meet Poìnt ìs a poìnt, designated by the Parìes, at which one Pary's
responsìbilìty for servìce begìns and the other Pary's responsìbilìty ends.
2.80 "Meet Point Biling (MPB)" or "Meet Point Biling Arrangement"
Refers to an arangement whereby two LECs joìntly provìde the transport element
ofa Swìtched Access Servìceto one of the LEC's End Offce Swìtches, with each
LEC receìvìng an appropriate share of the transport element revenues as defined
by the applìcable access tarffs.
2.81 "Mid-Span Fiber Meet" or "Fiber Meet"
An Interconnectìon arcmtectue whereby two carers' fiber transmìssìon facìlìtìes
meet at a mutually agreed upon point for the mutual exchange of traffic. The
"poìnt" of Interconnectìon for puroses of Sectìons 251 (c )(2) and 251 (c )(3)
remaìns on the Local Exchange Carer's network.
2.82 Multiple Exchange Carrier Access Biling (ME CAB)
Refers to the document prepared by the Bìlìng Commìttee of the Ordering and
Bìlìng Foru (OBF), whìch fuctìons under the auspìces of the Carer Lìaison
Committee (CLC) of the Allance for Telecommunìcatìons Industr Solutìons
(ATIS). The MECAB document, publìshed by Telcordìa Technologìes as Specìal
Report SR-BDS-000983, contaìns the recommended guìdelìnes for the bìlìng of
an access servìce provìded by two or more LECs, or by one LEC ìn two or more
states wìthìn a sìngle LATA.
2.83 Multiple Exchange Carriers Ordering and Design Guidelines for Access
Services - Industry Support Interface (MECOD)
A document developed by the Ordering/rovìsìoning Commìttee under the
auspìces of the Ordering and Bìlìng Foru (OBF), whìch fuctìons under the
auspìces of the Carer Lìaìson Commìttee (CLC) of the Allance for
Telecommunìcatìons Industr Solutìons (ATIS). The MECOD document,
publìshed by Telcordìa Technologìes as Specìal Report SR-STS-002643,
establishes methods for processìng orders for access servìce that ìs to be provided
by two or more LECs.
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2.84 National Security Emergency Procedures (NSEP)
Federal procedures that apply to Telecommuncatìons Carers that are used to
maintaìn a state of readiness or to respond to and manage any event or crisìs that
causes or could cause ìnjur or harm to the populatìon, damage to or loss of
property, or degrade or threaten the natìonal securty or emergency preparedness
of the Unìted States.
2.85 Network Interface Device (NID)
A stand-alone Network Element defied as any means of ìnterconnectìng
customer premìses wìring to CentuLink's dìstrbutìon plant, such as a cross-
connect devìce used for that purose. The NI houses the protector whìch
establìshes the demarcatìon point between the loop (ìnclusive of the NID) and the
End User Customer's Insìde Wìre pursuant to 47 CFR 68.105. Except ìn.multì-
unt tenant propertìes where CenturLìnk owns and maìntaìns control over Insìde
Wìre withìn a buìldìng, maìntenance and control of the End User Customer's
Inside Wìring (i.e., on the End User Customer's sìde of the NI) ìs under the
control of the End User Customer. For puroses of this definitìon, the phrase
"End User Customer Access Sìde of the NID" ìs descriptìve and does not convey
any ownershìp or usage rìghts.
2.86 911 Service
An emergency reporting system to facilìtate the reportìng of emergencìes
requiring response by a publìc safety agency whereby a caller can dìal a common
number (911) for emergency servìces. Basìc 911 ìs an emergency telephone
system whìch automatìcally connects 911 callers to a desìgnated answering poìnt.
Call routing ìs determìned by origìnatìng Central Office only. Basìc 911 mayor
may not support ANI and/or ALL
2.87 North American Numbering Plan (NANP)
The system of telephone numbering employed ìn the Unìted States, Canada, and
Carbbean countres that assìgns area codes and sets rules for calls to be routed
across these countres.
2.88 Number Portabilty (NP)
The abìlìty of users of Telecommunìcatìons Servìces to retain, at the same
locatìon, exìsting telecommuncatìons numbers without ìmpaìrment of qualìty,
reliabilìty, or convenìence when swìtchìng from one Telecommunìcatìons Carrer
to another.
2.89 Numbering Plan Area (NPA)
Also sometìmes referred to as an "area code," an NP A ìs the three-dìgìt ìndìcator,
whìch ìs defined by the "A", "B", and "c" dìgìts of each 10-dìgìt telephone
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number wìthn the NAN. Each NP A contaìns 800 possible NX Codes. There
are two general categories of NP A: "Geographìc NP As" and "Non-Geographìc
NPAs". A Geograpmc NPA is assocìated wìth a defined geographìc area, and all
telephone numbers bearng such NP A are assocìated wìth services provìded
wìtmn that geographic area. A Non-Geographic NP A, also known as a "Servìce
Access Code" or "SAC Code" ìs typically assocìated wìth a specìalìzed
Telecommuncatìons Service that may be provìded across multìple geographìc
NP A areas. 800, 900, 700, and 888 are examples ofNon-Geograpmc NP As.
2.90 NXX, NXX Code, Central Office Code or CO Code
The thee-dìgìt swìtch entity indicator that ìs defined by the "D", "E", and "F"
dìgìts of a 10-dìgìt telephone number wìtmn the NAN' Each NXX Code
contaìns 10,000 statìon numbers.
2.91 Optional EAS Traffc
Optìonal EAS Traffc ìs local callng scope traffc that, under an optìonal rate
package chosen by the End User Customer, termìnates at a physìcal locatìon
outside of that End User Customer's Local Callng Area or mandatory Extended
Area Servìce (EAS).
2.92 "Packet Switching" or "Packet Switched"
"Packet Swìtching" or "Packet Swìtched" refers to the routing or forwarding of
packets, frames, cells, or other data unìts based on address or other routìng
ìnformatìon contained in the packets, frames, cells or other data unts, and the
fuctìons that are performed by the dìgìtal subscriber lìne (DSL) access
multìplexers, ìncludìng but not lìmited to the abìlìty to terminate an End User
Customer's Copper Loop (wmch ìncludes both a low-band voìce chanel and a
high-band data chanel, or solely a data chanel); the abìlìty to forward the voìce
chanels, ìf present, to a cìrcuìt sWÌtch or multìple cìrcuìt swìtches; the abìlity to
extract data unìts from the data chanels on the loops; and the abilìty to combìne
data unts from multìple loops onto one or more trs connectìng to a packet
swìtch or packet swìtches.
2.93 Party or Parties
"Pary" shall mean CentuLink or ELTOPIA dependìng on the context.
"Parìes" refers collectìvely to both CentuyLìnkand ELTOPIA.
2.94 Percentage Local Use (PLU)
A percentage calculated by dìvìdìng the number of mìnutes of Local Traffic by
the total number of mìnutes. The resultìng factor ìs used to determìne the portìon
of Local Traffic minutes exchanged vìa Local Interconnectìon Trus. PLU is
developed from the measurement of calls in wmch the callng and called parìes
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are located wìtmn a gìven Local Callng Area or mandatory EAS area as defined
ìn CentuLìnk's effective Tarff(s).
2.95 Point of Interconnection (POI)
A Poìnt of Interconnectìon (POI) ìs a poìnt ìn the network where the Parìes
delìver Interconnection traffic to each other, and also serves as a demarcatìon
poìnt between the facilìtìes that each Party ìs responsìble to provìde. The POI also
establìshes the ìnterface, the test poìnt, and the operatìonal responsìbìlìty hand-off
between ELTOPIA and CenturLìnk for the ìnterconnectìon of theìr respectìve
networks.
2.96 Pole Attachment
A Pary's use of space on telephone poles belongìng to the other Par for
attachment of cables and related facìlìtìes or equipment to provìde servces ìn
accordance wìth the terms and condìtìons of tms Agreement.
2.97 Premises
Premìses refers to a Party's Central Offices and servìng Wìre Centers; all
buìldìngs or sìmìlar strctures owned, leased, or otherwìse controlled by a Pary
that house ìts Network Facìlìtìes; all strctures that house a Pary's facilìties on
publìc Rìghts-of-Way, ìncludìng but not lìmìted to vaults contaìnìng loop
concentrators or sìmìlar structures; and all land owned, leased or otherwse
controlled by a Pary that ìs adjacent to these Central Offces, Wìre Centers,
buìldìngs and structures.
2.98 Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP)
A facìlty that has been desìgnated to receìve 911 calls and route them to
emergency servìces personneL. A PSAP may be desìgnated as Primar or
Secondar. Primar PSAPs are facìlìtìes to wmch 911 calls are routed dìrectly
from the 911 control office; Secondar PSAPs are facìlìtìes to whìch 911 calls are
transferred from a Primary PSAP.
2.99 Rate Center
The specific geographìc point and correspondìng geographìc area that ìs
assocìated wìth one or more parìcular NP A-NXX Codes that have been assìgned
to a LEC for purose ofthe applìcatìon of ìnterstate Tarffs. The geographìc poìnt
ìs ìdentìfied by a specìfic Vertìcal and Horizontal (V &H) coordìnate that ìs used
to calculate dìstance-sensìtìve End User traffic to/from the parìcular NPA-NXXs
assocìated with the specìfic Rate Center.
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2.100 Rating Point
The vertical and horizontal ("V &H") coordinates assigned to a Rate Center and
assocìated wìth a parìcular telephone number for ratìng puroses. The Rating
Poìnt must be in the same LATA as the Routìng Point of the assocìated NPA-
NXX as desìgnated ìn the LERG, but need not be in the same location as the
Routìng Poìnt.
2.101 Reciprocal Compensation
Compensation paìd or provìded under 47 U.S.c. § 251(b)(5).
2.102 Remote End Office Switch
A swìtch that directly termìnates traffic to and receìves traffic from End Users of
local Telephone Exchange Servìces, but does not have the full features, functìons
and capabìlìtìes of an End Office Swìtch. Such features, fuctìons, and
capabilìtìes are provìded to a Remote End Office Swìtch via an umbilìcal and a
host End Offce.
2.103 "Repeatedly delinquent"
As used in Arìcle TIl, "repeatedly delìnquent" shall refer to the faìlure to remìt or
pay a bìl under this Agreement wìthn thìrty (30) calendar days after the bìl due
date, three (3) or more tìmes during a twelve (12) month period..
2.104 Right-of-Way (ROW)
The right to use the land or other property owned or controlled by another Pary to
place poles, conduìts, cables, other strctues and equìpment, or to provìde
passage to access such strctues and equìpment. A ROW may ru under, on, or
above publìc or private property (includìng air space above publìc or private
property) and may ìnclude the right to use dìscrete space ìn buildìngs, buìldìng
complexes, or other locatìons.
2.105 Routine Network Modifications
A Routìne Network Modificatìon ìs an actìvìty that CenturyLìnk regularly
undertakes for ìts own customers. Routìne Network Modificatìons do not ìnclude:
the constrctìon of a new loop or new transport; ìnstallation of new aerial or
bured cable; splìcing cable at any locatìon other than an exìsting splìce point or at
any locatìon where a splìce enclosure ìs not already present; securng permìts,
rights-of-way, or buìldìng access arangements; constrctìng and/or placing new
manoles, handholes, poles, ducts or conduits; ìnstalling new termìnals or
termìnal enclosure (e.g., controlled environmental vaults, huts, or cabìnets); or
provìdìng new space or power for requestìng carers; or removìng or
reconfigung packetized transmìssìon facìlity. CenturLìnk is not obligated to
perform these and other sìmìlar actìvìtìes for ELTOPIA.
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2.106 Routing Point
Denotes a location that a LEC has desìgnated on ìts own network as the homing
or routìng poìnt for traffic ìnbound to Telephone Exchange Servìce provìded by
the LEC wmch bears a certaìn NP A - NXX desìgnatìon. The Routìng Point is used
to calculate aìrlìne mileage measurements for the distance-sensìtìve transport
element charges of Swìtched Access Servìces. Pursuant to Telcordìa
Technologìes Practìce BR795-100-100, the Routìng Point may be an End Office
locatìon, or a "LEC Consortìum Poìnt of Interconnectìon." The Routìng
Poìntmust be ìn the same LATA as the assocìated NPA-NX.
2.107 Selective Router (SR)
A devìce that routes E911 calls to the appropriate PSAP based on the caller's
locatìon.
2.108 Service Affecting
. A "Service Affectìng" ìssue or dispute shall mean that such ìssue or dispute,
unless resolved, places a Pary's End User Customer ìn ìmmedìate or ìmmìnent
risk of not beìng able to use the servìce to which that End User Customer
subscribes.
2.109 Service Order
See "LSR."
2.110 "Service Switching Point" or "Signal Switching Point" (SSP)
A Sìgnalìng Poìnt that can launch queries to databases and receìve/interpret
responses used to provìde specìfic customer servìces.
2. i 1 i Signaling Point (SP)
A node ìn the CCS network that originates and/or receìves sìgnalìng messages, or
transfers sìgnalìng messages from one sìgnalìng lìnk to another, or both.
2.112 Signaling System 7 (SS7)
The sìgnalìng protocol, Versìon 7, of the CCS network, based upon American
Natìonal Standards Instìtute (ANSI) standards that ìs used to provìde basìc routìng
ìnformatìon, call set-up and other call termìnatìon fuctìons.
2.113 Stand-Alone Fiber Loop
A facìlity connectìng an End User Customer premìses to the nearest LEC Central
Offce that consìsts of a sìngle, unìnterrpted length of optìcal fiber cable. A
Stand-Alone Fìber Loop ìs also known as a "home ru" fiber loop.
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2.114 State
As used in ths Agreement, "State" shall refer to the state ìn whìch servìces are to
be provìded under thìs Agreement. For puroses of this Agreement, "State" shall
mean the State of Idaho.
2.115 Subsidiary
A corporatìon or other legal entìty that ìs majority owned by a Pary,
2.116 Switched Access Services
The offering of transmìssìon and/or swìtching services to Telecommunicatìons
Carrers for the purpose of the origìnatìon or termìnatìon of Telephone Toll
Servìces. Any traffic that does not meet the definìtìon of Local Traffic wìl be
consìdered Swìtched Access Traffic. Swìtched Access Servìces ìnclude: Featue
Group A, Featue Group B, Featue Group C, Feature Group D, 500, 700, 800
access and 900 access servces. The term "Swìtched Access Servìce" ìs
ìnterchangeable wìth "Swìtched Exchange Access Servìce."
2.117 Synchronous Optical Network (SONET)
An optìcal ìnterface standard that allows ìnterworkìng of transmìssìon products
from multiple vendors (i.e., mìd-span meets). The base rate ìs 51.84 Mbps
(OC/STS-1 and hìgher rates are dìrect multìples of the base rate up to 1.244
Gbps).
2.118 "Tandem" or "Tandem Switch" or "Tandem Office Switch"
Tandem means to connect ìn series. A Tandem, Tandem Swìtch or Tandem
Office Swìtch connects one tru to another for the purose of exchangìng Local
Traffic. It ìs an ìntermedìate (Class 4) swìtch between an origìnatìng telephone
call and the final destìnatìon of the call.
2.119 Tariff
Any applìcable Federal or state tarff of a Pary, as amended from tìme-to~tìme.
2.120 "TDM" or "TDM Technology" or "Time Division Multiplexing"
A method of multiplexìng ìn whìch a common transmìssìon path ìs shared by a
number of chanels on a cyclìcal basìs by enablìng each chanel to use the path
exclusìvely for a short tìme slot. Thìs technology ìs used to provìsìon tradìtìonal
narowband servìces (e.g., voìce, fax, dìal-up Internet access) and hìgh-capacìty
servìces lìke DS1and DS3 cìrcuìts.
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2.121 Technically Feasible
Interconnectìon and other methods of achievìng Interconnectìonata poìnt ìn the
network shall be deemed Techncally Feasible absent techncal or operational
concerns that prevent the fulfillment of a request by a Telecommunìcatìons
Carer for such Interconnectìon, access or methods.
2.122 Telcordia Technologies
A wholly-owned subsìdìar of Scìence Applicatìons Internatìonal Corporatìon
(SAlC). The organzatìon conducts research and development projects for ìts
owners, ìncluding development of new Telecommuncatìons Servìces. Telcordìa
Technologìes also provìdes certaìn centralized technìcal and management servìces
for the regìonal ho1dìng companìes and also provìdes generc requìrements for the
telecommunìcatìons ìndustr for products, servìces and technologìes.
2.123 Telecommunications
"Telecommuncatìons" shall have the meaning set forth ìn § 153(43) ofthe Act.
2.124 Telecommunications Carrier
"Telecommunìcatìons Carer" shall have the meanìng set forth ìn § 153(44) of
the Act. This definìtìon ìncludes CMRS provìders, IXCs and, to the extent they
are actìng as Telecommunìcatìons Carers, companes that provìde both
Telecommunìcatìons and Informatìon Servìces. Private mobìle radìo servìce
provìders are Telecommunicatìons Carers to the extent they provìde domestic or
internatìonal telecommunìcatìons for a fee dìrectly to the publìc.
2.125 Telecommunications Equipment
"Telecommunìcatìons Equìpment" shall have the meanng set forth ìn § 153(45)
of the Act.
2.126 Telecommunications Service
"Telecommunìcatìons Servìce" shall have the meanìng set forth ìn § 153(46) of
the Act.
2.127 Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP)
A procedure established by the Natìonal Communcatìons System Office (NCSO)
used by a Telecommunìcatìons Carer to establish prioritìes ìn decìding whìch
lìnes and trnks to restore subsequent to an outage. Generally, the mghest priority
goes to federal law enforcement and mìlitar usage, wìth local emergency
servìces (ìncludìng 911 Servìce) and medìcal facìltìes followìng.
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2.128 Telephone Exchange Service
"Telephone Exchange Servìce" shall have the meaning set fort ìn § 153(47) of
the Act.
'2.129 "Telephone Toll" or "Telephone Toll Service"
"Telephone Toll" or "Telephone Toll Servìce" ìs telephone servìce between
statìons ìn dìfferent exchange areas. Telephone Toll traffic can be eìther
"IntraLATA Toll Traffic" or "InterLATA Toll Traffc" dependìng on whether the
originatìng and termìnating poìnts are wìthìn the same LATA.
2.130 Third Party Originating Carrier
ELTOPIA, when ìt sends traffic origìnated by ìts End User Customers to
CentuLìnk's End User Customers vìa an Alternate Tandem Provìder, or
CentuLink, when it sends traffic origìnated by its End User Customers to
ELTOPIA's End User Customers vìa an Alternate Tandem Provider.
2.131 Third Part Terminating Carrier
CenturLìnk, when traffc ìs termìnated to ìt by ELTOPIA vìa an Alternate
Tandem Provìder, or ELTOPIA, when traffic from CentuLìnk ìs terminated to
ELTOPIA vìa an Alternatìve Tandem Provider.
2.132 Time and Material Charges
Tìme and Materials Charges are charges for non-standard or ìndìvìdual-case-basìs
work requested by ELTOPIA. "Tìme" charges are for the cost of labor whìch
ìncludes, but ìs not lìmìted to, work preparatìon and actual work. Thìs labor time
ìs multìplìed by an applìcable labor rate. "Material" charges are for the cost of
ìtems requìred to fulfill the job requìrements.
2.133 Transit Service
A swìtcmng and transport functìon wmch allows one Pary to send Transìt Traffic
to the other Pary's network through a third-pary's Tandem and/or transport
facìlìtìes, or to a third-pary network through the other Party's Tandem and/or
transport facìlitìes.
2.134 Transit Traffc
Traffic between the Parìes End User Customers that ìs routed utìlìzìng a third-
pary Telecommunìcatìons Carer's local and/or Access Tandem Swìtch, or
between a Pary's End User Customers and a thìrd-pary Telecommunicatìons
Carer's End User Customers (e.g., tmrd-pary CLECs, ILECs) that ìs routed
utìlìzìng the other Pary's local and/or Access Tandem Swìtch. Transìt Traffic
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does not ìnclude any traffic delìvered to from, or carred by an Interexchange
Carer (ixC) at any tìme durng the call
2.135 Trunk Side
Refers to a Central Office swìtch connectìon that ìs connected to another
swìtchìng entìty, ìncludìng the connectìon between tr termìnatìon at a Tru
Side cross-connect panel and a tru card. Trunk sìde connections offer those
transmìssion and sìgnaling featues appropriate for the connectìon of swìtchig
entìtìes and canot be used for the dìrect connection of ordìnar telephone statìon
sets.
2.136 Virtual NXX Traffic NNXX Traffic)
As used ìn thìs Agreement, Vìrtual NXX Traffic or VN Traffc ìs defined as
calls ìn whìch an ELTOPIA customer ìs assìgned a telephone number with an
NX Code (as set forth ìn the LERG) assìgned to a Rate Center that ìs different
from the Rate Center associated wìth the Customer's actual physìcal premìse
locatìon.
2.137 Website
As used ìn tms agreement, Website shall mean:
ww.CentuLìnk.com/wholesaleservìces
2.138 Wire Center
The locatìon of one or more local swìtchìng systems. A poìnt at wruch End .
Users' loops wìthìn a defined geograpmc area converge. Such Local Loops may
be served by one (1) or more Central Office Switches wìthìn such premises.
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ARTICLE III: GENERA TERMS & CONDITIONS
I.
GENERA TERMS & CONDITIONS
REGARING APPLICATION, EFFECTIVE DATE, TERM AND GOVERNING LAW
1.0 APPLICATION OF THESE GENERA TERMS & CONDITIONS
Except as may otherwìse be set forth ìn a parìcular Arìcle or Appendìx of this
Agreement, in whìch case the provìsìons of such Arìcle or Appendìx shall control, these
General Terms & Condìtìons apply to all Arìcles and Appendìces oftms Agreement.
. 2.0 EFFECTIVE DATE, TERM & TERMINATION
2.1 Effectìve Date. Thìs Agreement wìl be effectìve only upon executìon by both
Parìes unless prior Commìssìon approval ìs required, ìn wmch case thìs
Agreement shall be effectìve upon Commìssìon approval; except that the
ìnitìatìon of a new ELTOPIA account, any new provìsìon of servìce or oblìgatìon
or any revision to curently exìstìng servìces or oblìgatìons shall not take effect
for 60 days. to accommodate required ìnìtìal processes. The "Effectìve Date" of
tms Agreement for all puroses wil be the latest date reflected by the sìgning
Parìes.
2.2 Term. Thìs Agreement shall be effectìve as of the Effectìve Date and, unless
cancelled or termìnated earlìer ìn accordance wìth the terms hereof, shall contìnue
ìn effect untìl two years after the effectìve date (the "Inìtìal Term"). If neìthet
Party elects to termìnate'thìs Agreement as of the date of termìnatìon of the Inìtìal
Term, ths Agreement shall contìnue ìn force and effect on a month-to-month
basìs (each one-month period constìtutìng a "Follow-on Term") unless and untìl
cancelled or termìnated as provìded in thìs Agreement.
2.2.1 Notwìthstandìng the above, CentuLìnk at ìts dìscretìon may
termate thìs Agreement after twelve consecutìve months of ìnactìvìty
on the par of ELTOPIA. Inactìvìty ìs defined as ELTOPIA's faìlure to
ìnitìate the requìred pre-ordering actìvìtìes, ELTOPIA's faìlure to submìt
any orders pursuant to thìs Agreement's terms or ELTOPIA's failure to
origìnate or terminate any Local Traffic pursuant to thìs Agreement's
terms.
2.3 Notìce of Termìnatìon. Eìther ELTOPIA or CenturyLìnk may termìnate thìs
Agreement effectìve upon the expìratìon of the Inìtìal Term by provìdìng wrtten
notìce of termìnatìon ("Notice of Termination") at least nìnety (90) calendar days
ìn advance of the applìcable date of termìnatìon. Eìther ELTOPIA or
CentuLìnk may termìnate thìs Agreement effectìve upon the expìratìon of a
Follow-on Term by provìdìng a wrtten Notìce of Termìnatìonat least tmrty (30)
calendar days ìn advance of the applìcable date oftermìnatìon.
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2.4 Effect on Terminatìon of Negotìatìng Successor Agreement. If eìther ELTOPIA
orCenturyLìnk provìdes notìce of termìnation pursuant to Sectìon 2.3 and, on or
before the notìced date of termìnation,eìther ELTOPIA or CentuLìnk has
requested negotìatìon of a new ìnterconnectìon agreement, tms Agreement shall
remain ìn effect untìl the earlìer of: (a) the effectìve date of a new ìnterconnectìon
agreement between ELTOPIA and CentuLìnk; or, (b) the date 180 calendar
days after the date of termìnatìon ìdentìfied ìn the Notìce of Termìnatìon. If a
new ìnterconnectìon agreement has not been approved by 180 days after the date
of termìnatìon ìdentìfied in the Notìce of Termnatìon, then CenturLìnk and
ELTOPIA may mutually agree to contìnue to operate on a month to month basìs
under the terms set forth hereìn untìl (a) a new agreement has been approved or
(b) untìl ELTOPIA ceases provìdìng servìce ìn CenturLink's exchanges. Should
the Parìes not agree to contìnue to operate under the terms set forth herein after
180 days, then the provìsìons of Sectìon 2.5 shall be requìred. The foregoìng shall
not apply to the extent that thìs Agreement is otherwìse cancelled or terminated ìn
accordance wìth Sectìon 2.6 (Termìnation Upon Default) or Sectìon 2.7
(Termìnatìon Upon Sale).
2.5 Termìnatìon and Post-Termìnatìon Continuatìon of Servìces. If eìther ELTOPIA
or CenturyLink provìdes notìce of termìnatìon pursuant to Sectìon 2.3 and, by
11 :59 p.m. Central Tìme on the proposed date of termìnatìon, neìther ELTOPIA
nor CenturLìnk has requested negotìatìon of a new ìnterconnectìon agreement,
(a) tms Agreement wìl termìnate at 11 :59 p.m. Central Tìme on the terminatìon
date identìfied ìn the Notìce of Terminatìon, and (b) the servìces and functions
beìng provìded by CentuLìnk under thìs Agreement at the tìme of termìnatìon,
ìncludìng the exchange of local traffic, wìl be termated unless the Parìes
jointly agree to other continuìng arangements. ELTOPIA may request that such
servìces or fuctìons contìnue to be provìded pursuant to (ì) an applicable
Tarff(s) if the servìce ìs ìncluded ìn the same; (ìì) other terms and condìtìons
made generally available by the Commìssìon to local Telecommuncatìons
Servìce provìders, ìf any; or (ììì) terms and condìtìons avaìlable under Sectìon
252(ì) of the Act, ìf elected by ELTOPIA. If ELTOPIA elects to have such
servìces or fuctìons contìnue pursuant to terms and condìtìons avaìlable under
Sectìon 252(ì) of the Act, the contìnuatìon of such servìces and fuctìons shall be
governed by the terms and condìtìons adopted by ELTOPIA under Sectìon 252(ì).
Should ELTOPIA fail to follow the terms of tms Sectìon 2.5, **CMRS agrees
that ìts terminatìon notice shall be ìnvalìdated and consìdered wìthdrawn and ìt
shall continue to be accountable and liable for all ìts oblìgatìons under the terms
of tms Agreement.
2.6 Suspensìon or Terminatìon Upon Default. Eìther Pary may suspend or terìnate
thìs Agreement, ìn whole or ìn par, ìn the event of a Default (defined below) by
the other Party; provided, however, that the non-defaultìng Pary notìfies the
defaultìng Pary ìn wrtìng of the Default and the defaultìng Pary does not cure
the Default wìthìn thìrty (30) calendar days of receìpt of wrtten notice thereof.
Followìng CenturyLìnk's notìce to ELTOPIA of ìts Default, CentuLìnk shall
not be requìred to process new servìce orders untìl the Default ìs tìmely cured.
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"Default" ìs defined to ìnclude:
(a) A Pary's ìnsolvency or the ìnitìatìon of banptcy or receìversmp
proceedìngs by or agaìnst the Pary; or
(b) The revocatìon by the Commìssìon of a Pary's Certìficate of Operatìng
Authority, or
(c) A Pary's vìolatìon of any material ter or conditìon of the Agreement;. or
(d) A Pary's refusal or faìlure ìn any material respect properly to perform ìts
oblìgatìons under thìs Agreement, ìncludìng but not lìmìted to ìts refusal
or faìlure to pay undìsputed charges (pursuant to Sectìon 9) wìthin tmrty
(30) calendar days after the bìl date.
2.7 Termìnatìon Upon Sale. Notwìthstanding anything to the contrar contaìned
herein, a Pary may terminate tms Agreement as to a specific operating area or
portìon thereof ìf such Pary sells or otherwìse transfers the area or portìon
thereof to a non-affilìate. The sellng or transferrng Pary shall provìde the other
Pary wìth at least sìxty (60) calendar days' prior wrtten notìce of such
termìnatìon, wmch shall be effectìve on the date specìfied ìn the notìce.
Notwìthstanding terminatìon of thìs Agreement as to a specìfic operatìng area,
this Agreement shall remaìn ìn full force and effect ìn the remaìnìng operatìng
areas.
2.8 Lìabìlìty Upon Termìnatìon. Termìnatìon of tms Agreement, or any par hereof,
for any cause shall not release eìther Pary from any liabìlity (ì) wmch, at the tìme
of terminatìon, had already accrued to the other Pary, (ìì) wmch thereafter
accrues ìn any respect through any act or omìssìon occurng prior to the
termìnatìon, or (ììi) whìch accrues from an oblìgatìon that ìs expressly stated ìn
thìs Agreement to surìve termìnatìon.
2.9 Predecessor Agreements.
2.9.1 Except as stated ìn Sectìon 2.9.2 or as otherwìse agreed in wrtìng by the
Parìes:
2.9.1.1 any prior interconnectìon agreement between the Parìes for the
State of Idaho pursuant to Sectìon 252 of the Act and ìn effect
ìmmediately prior to the Effectìve Date is hereby termìnated; and
2.9.1.2 any servìces that were purchased by one Party from the other
Part under a prior interconnectìon agreement between the Paries
for the State of Idaho pursuant to Sectìon 252 of the Act and ìn
effect ìmmedìately prior to the Effectìve Date, shall as of the
Effectìve Date be subject to the prices, terms and condìtìons of
under thìs Agreement.
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2.9.2 Except as otherwise agreed ìn wrtìng by the Parìes, ìf a servìce
purchased by a Pary under a prior ìnterconnectìon agreement between
the Parìespursuant to Sectìon 252 of the Act was subject to a contractual
commìtment that ìt would be purchased for a period of longer than one
month, and such period had not yet expìred as of the Effectìve Date and
the service had not been termìnated prior to the Effective Date, to the
extent not ìnconsistent wìth thìs Agreement, such commìtment shall
remaìn ìn effect and the servìce wìl be the prices, terms and condìtìons of
tms Agreement; provìded, that ìf thìs Agreement would materially alter
the terms of the commìtment, eìther Pary make elect to cancel the
commìtment.
2.9.3 If eìther Pary elects to cancel the commìtment pursuant to the provìso ìn
Sectìon 2.9.2, the purchasing Pary shall not be lìable for any termìnatìon
charge that would otherwìse have applìed. However, ìf the commìtment
was cancelled by the purchasing Pary, the purchasing Pary shall pay the
dìfference between the price of the servìce that was actually paìd by the
purchasing Pary under the commìtment and the price of the service that
would have applìed ìf the commìtment had been to purchase the servce
only untìl the tìme that the commìtment was cancelled.
3.0 APPLICABLE LAW
3.1 Applìcable Law. The term Applìcable Law, as used ìn this Agreement, shall
mean all effectìve laws, statutes, common law, governental regulatìons,
ordinances, codes, rules, guìdelìnes, orders, permts and approvals of any
governental authority (ìncludìng, wìthout limìtation, the Commìssion and the
FCC) that apply to the subject matter ofthìs Agreement.
3.2 Rule of Constrctìon. The Parìes acknowledge that, except for provisìons
ìncorporated hereìn as the result of an arbìtrated decisìon, if any, the terms and
conditìons of thìs Agreement have been mutually negotìated, and each Pary has
relìed solely on the advìce of ìts own legal counsel ìn acceptìng such negotìated
terms and condìtìons. Thìs Agreement shall be fairly ìnterpreted in accordance
wìth ìts terms. No rule of constrctìon requìrìng ìnterpretatìon agaìnst the
draftìng Pary hereof shall apply ìn the ìnterpretatìon ofthìs Agreement.
3.3 Choìce of Law and Venue. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed
ìn accordance with the Act, applìcable federal and (to the extent not ìnconsìstent
therewith) domestìc laws of the State where the services are beìng provìded, and
shall be subject to the exclusìve jursdìctìonof the cours thereìn. In all cases,
choice of law shall be determìned wìthout regard to a local State's conflicts of
law provìsions.
3.4 Partìes' Agreement to Comply wìth Applìcable Law. Each Pary shall remaìn ìn
complìance wìth Applìcable Law ìn the course of performìng thìs Agreement.
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3.4.1 Neìther Pary shall be lìable for any delay or failure in performance
resultìng from any requirements of Applìcable Law, or acts or faìlures to
act of any governental entìty or offcìaL.
3.4.2 Each Pary shall promptly notìfy the other Par ìn wrtìng of any
governental actìon that lìmìts, suspends, cancels, wìthdraws, or
otherwìse materially affects, the notìfyng Par's abilìty to perform ìts
oblìgatìons under tms Agreement.
3.4.3 Each Pary shall be responsìble for obtainìng and keeping ìn effect all
FCC, Commìssìon, francmse authority and other regulatory approvals that
may be requìred ìn connectìon wìth the performance of its oblìgatìons
under ths Agreement.
3.5 Severabìlìty. If any provìsìon ofthìs Agreement ìs held by a court or regulatory
agency of competentjursdìctìon to be unenforceable or ìnvalìd under Applìcable
Law, such unenforceabilìty or invalìdìty shall not render unenforceable or invalìd
any other provisìon of this Agreement, and tms Agreement shall be constred as
ìf ìt dìd not contain such unenforceable or ìnvalìd provìsìon; provìded, that ìf the
unenforceable or ìnvalìd provìsìon ìs a material provìsìon of thìs Agreement, or
the unenforceabìlìty or ìnvalìdìty materially affects the rights or oblìgatìons of a
Pary hereunder or the abìlìty of a Pary to perform any material provìsìon of thìs
Agreement, the Parìes shall promptly renegotiate ìn good faith and amend ìn
wrtìng thìs Agreement ìn order to make such mutually acceptable revìsìons to
tms Agreement as may be requìred ìn order to conform the Agreement to
Applìcable Law. If such amended terms canot be agreed upon witmn a
reasonable period, eìther Pary may, upon wrtten notìce to the other Pary,
termìnate tms Agreement wìthout penalty or lìabìlty for such terìnatìon.
II. OTHER GENERA TERMS & CONDITIONS
4.0 AMENDMENTS
Any amendment, modìficatìon, deletìon or supplement to thìs Agreement must be ìn
wrting and sìgned by an authorized representatìve of each Pary. The term "Agreement"
shall ìnclude any such future amendments, modìficatìons, deletìons and supplements.
5.0 ASSIGNMENT
Any assìgnent, ìn whole or ìn par, by eìther Pary of any right, oblìgatìon, duty or
ìnterest arsìng under the Agreement wìthout the written consent of the other Pary shall
be null and voìd,except that eìther Pary may assìgn, to the extent consìstent wìth
Applìcable Law, all of ìts rights, and delegate ìts oblìgatìons, lìabìlìtìes and dutìes under
tms Agreement, eìther ìn whole or in part, to any entìty that ìs, or that was ìmmedìately
precedìng such assìgnent, a subsìdìar or Affilìate of that Pary wìthout consent, upon
nìnety (90) calendar days' wrtten notìficatìon. The effectìveness of an assìgnent shall
be condìtìoned upon the assìgnee's wrtten assumptìon of the rights, oblìgatìons, and
dutìes of the assìgnìng Pary, and the other Pary beìng reasonably satìsfied that the
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assìgnee ìs able to fulfill the assìgnor's obligatìons hereunder. Any attempt to make an
assìgnent or delegatìon ìn vìolatìon of thìs sectìon shall constìtute a default of thìs
Agreement.
6.0 ASSURACE OF PAYMENT
Upon request by CenturLìnk, ELTOPIA shall provìde to CentuyLìnk a deposit for or
an adequate assurance of payment of amounts due (or to become due) to CentuLin
hereunder. ELTOPIA's failure to provìde such deposìt or assurance of payment to
CentuLìnk withìn tmrt (30) calendar days of CentuLink's request for same shall
constìtute a default under this Agreement.
6.1 When a Deposìt/Assurance of Payment Is Requìred. Such deposìt or assurance of
payment of charges may be requested by CenturLìnk ìf ELTOPIA (a) ìn
CenturLìnk's reasonable judgment, at the Effectìve Date or at any tìme
thereafter, does not have establìshed credit wìth CenturLìnk, (b) ìn
CenturLìnk's reasonable judgment, at the Effectìve Date or at any tìme
thereafter, ìs unable to demonstrate that ìt is credìtworthy, (c) fails to tìmely pay a
bìl rendered to ELTOPIA by CenturyLink, or (d) admìts ìts ìnabìlìty to pay ìts
debts as such debts become due, has commenced a voluntary case (or has had a
case commenced agaìnst ìt) under the U.S. Banptcy Code or any other law
relatìng to banptcy, ìnsolvency, reorganizatìon, wìndìng~up, composìtìon or
adjustment of debts or the lìke, has made an assìgnent for the benefit of
credìtors or ìs subj ect to a receìvershìp or sìmìlar proceedìng.
6.2 Calculatìngthe Amount of Deposìt/ Assurance of Payment. Unless otherwse
agreed by the Parìes, such deposìt wìl be calculated based on the greater of (1)
CentuLìnk's estìmated two-month charges to ELTOPIA (ìncludìng, but not
lìmìted to, both recurng and non-recurng charges) usìng ELTOPIA's forecast
of ìnterconnectìon facìlìtìes and any other facìlìtìes or servìces to be ordered from
CenturyLìnk, or (2) $5,000. If ELTOPIA does not provìde a forecast of ìts
facìlìty or servìce demand under tms Agreement, ELTOPIA shall provide, upon
CenturLink's request, a deposìt or assurance of payment of charges ìn an
amount of$5000.
6.3 Modìfying the Amount of Deposìt Assurance of Payment. CenturyLìnk reserves
the right, ìn ìts sole dìscretìon, to modìfy the amount of the deposit or assurance
of payment requìred of ELTOPIA ìf ELTOPIA ìs repeatedly delìnquent ìn
makg ìts payments, or ELTOPIA is being reconnected after a dìsconnectìon of
servìce or dìscontìnuance of the processing of orders by CenturLìnk due to
ELTOPIA's prevìous non-payment, or when condìtìons otherwìse justìfy such
actìon based on actual bìllng mstory and/or the credìt ratìng of ELTOPIA.
"Repeatedly delìnquent" means any payment receìved thìrty (30) calendar days or
more after the bìl due date, three (3) or more tìmes durng a twelve (12) month
period. CenturLìnk also may requìre an addìtìonal amount of deposìt or
assurance of payment at any tìme after the submìssìon of the origìnal deposìt or
assurance of payment ìf ELTOPIA's average monthly bìllng exceeds the
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estìmated two-month bilìng based on ELTOPIA's forecasts referenced ìn
Sectìon 6.2 above or if ELTOPIA has faìled to make tìmely payments in
accordance wìth Sectìon 9.2.
6.4 Form of Deposìt/ Assurance of Payment. Unless otherwise agreed by the Parìes,
the deposit or assurance of payment shall, at CentuLìnk's optìon, consist of (a)
a cash security deposìt in U.S. dollars held by CenturLin, or (b) an
unconditìonal, ìrrevocable standby letter of credìt namìng CentuyLink as the
beneficìar thereof and otherwìse ìn form and substance satìsfactory to
CenturLink from a financìal ìnstìtutìon acceptable to CenturLìnk.
6.5 Intentìonally left blank.
6.6 . Interest on Cash Deposit. CentuLink shall pay ìnterest on any such cash
deposìt in accordance wìth state requirements for End User deposìts if such exìst
6.7 Drawìng on DeposìtAssurance of Payment. CentuLìnk may (but is not
oblìgated to) draw on the letter of credìt or cash deposìt, as applìcable, upon
notìce to ELTOPIA ìn respect of any amounts to be paìd by ELTOPIA hereunder
that are not paìd wìthìn tmrty (30) calendar days of the date that payment of such
amounts ìs requìred by thìs Agreement.
6.8 ELTOPIA's Replenìshment of Deposìt/Assurance of Payment. If CenturLìnk
draws on the letter of credìt or cash deposìt, upon request by CentuLìnk,
ELTOPIA shall provìde a replacement or supplemental letter of credìt or cash
deposìt conformìng to the requìrements of Section 6.2.
6.9 Effect on Other Oblìgatìons. Notwthstandìng anythìng else set forth ìn tms
Agreement, ìf CentuLìnk makes a request for a deposìt or assurance of
payment in accordance wìth the terms of tms Sectìon 6, then CentuLìnk shall
have no oblìgatìon thereafter to perform under this Agreement untìl such tìme as
ELTOPIA has provided CentuLin wìth such deposìt or assurance of payment.
The fact that a deposìt or a letter of credìt is requested by CentuyLink hereunder
sháll in no way relìeve ELTOPIA from complìance wìth the requirements ofthìs
Agreement (ìncludìng, but not lìmìted to, any applìcable Tarffs) as to advance
payments and tìmely payment for facìlìtìes or servìces, nor constìtute a waìver or
modìficatìon of the terms hereìn pertaìnìng to the dìscontìnuance of servìces for
nonpayment of any amounts, payment of whìch ìs required by tms Agreement.
7.0 AUDITS
7.1 Biling Audìts. Except as may be otherwìse specìfically provìded ìn tils
Agreement, eìther Pary ("Audìtìng Pary") may audìt the other Party's ("Audìted
Pary") books, records, documents, facìlìtìes and systems for the purpose of
evaluatìng the accuracy of the Audìted Pary's bìls and ìnvoìcìng. Such audìts
may be performed once ìn each Contract Year; provìded, however, that audìts
may be conducted more frequently (but no more frequently than once ìn each
contract quarer) ífthe ìmmedìately preceding audìt found prevìously uncorrected
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net ìnaccuracìes ìn bìlìng ìn favor of the Audìtìng Pary having an aggregate
value of at least $50,000. For puroses of thìs Sectìon 7.1, "Contract Year"
means a twelve (12) month period durg the term of the Agreement
commencìng on the Effective Date and each anìversar thereof.
7.1.1 Scope of Audìt. The scope of the audìt shall be limìted to the servìces
provìded and/or purchased by the Parìes and the assocìated charges,
books, records, data and other documents relating thereto for the period
whìch ìs the shorter of (ì) the period subsequent to the last day of the
period covered by the audìt wmch was last performed (or ìf no audìt has
been performed, the Effectìve Date) and (ìì) the twelve (12) month period
immedìately preceding the date the Audìted Pary receìved notìce of such
requested audìt.
7.1.2 Audìtors and Commencement of Audìt. The audìt shall be performed by
ìndependent certìfied publìc accountants selected and paìd by the
Audìtìng Pary. The accountants shall be reasonable competent ìn
telecommunìcatìons and be reasonably acceptable to the Audìted Pary.
Prior to commencing the audìt, the accountants shall execute an
agreement wìth the Audìted Pary ìn a form reasonably acceptable to the
Audìted Pary that protects the confidentìalìty of the ìnformatìon
dìsc10sed by the Audited Pary to the accountants. The audìt shall take
place at a tìme and place agreed upon by the Paries; provìded, that the
Audìting Pary may requìre that the audìt commence no later than sìxty
(60) calendar days after the Audìting Pary has gìven notìce of the audìt to
the Audìted Pary; except that the Audìted Par has the right to extend
the 60 days for specìfic resource avaìlabìlìty conflict reasons such as the
financìal Year End close of books, ìnformatìon or billing system
conversìons ìn progress or schedules to star durìng the audìt or proper
commìtment of resources to other audìts or rate cases. In such a case, the
Audìted Pary must provìde wrtten certìficatìon of the confìct and the
expected resource avaìlabìlìty date. The audìt shall be completed withìn
forty-five (45) calendar days after ìts commencement.
7.1.3 Cooperatìon of the Partìes. Each Party shall cooperate fuly ìn any such
audìt, provìdìng reasonable access to any and all employees, books,
records, documents, facìlìtìes and systems, reasonably necessar to assess
the accuracy of the Audìted Pary's bìls. Each audìt shall be conducted
on the premìses of the Audìted Pary where the Audìted Pary's records
resìde, will take place durng normal business hours and shall comply the
Audìted Pary's normal securty procedures.
7.1.4 Audìt Expenses. Audìts shall be performed at the Audìtìng Par's
expense, unless the audìt found bìllng errors or inaccuracìes in favor of
the Audìting Pary, ìn whìch case the Audìted Pary shall reìmburse the
Audìtìng Pary for ìts expense ìn performìng said audìt. There shall be no
charge for reasonable access to the Audìted Party's employees, books,
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records, documents, facìltìes and systems necessar to . assess the
accuracy of the Audìted Pary's bils.
7.1.5 Audìt Sumar. Neìther Par shall have access to the data of the other
Pary, but shall rely upon sumar results provìded by the audìtor. The
Audìted Pary may redact from the books, records and other documents
provìded to the audìtor any confidentìal ìnformatìon of the Audìted Pary
that reveals the ìdentìty of other customers of the Audìted Pary. Each
Pary shall maìntaìn reports, records and data relevant to the bìlìng of any
servìces that are the subject matter of thìs Agreement for a period of not
less than twenty-four (24) months after creatìon thereof, unless a longer
period ìs requìred by Applìcable Law.
7.1.6 Adjustments. Adjustments to the Audìted Pary's charges shall be made
to correct errors or omìssìons dìsclosed by an audìt. The performance of
adjustments shall be subject to examìnatìon. The Audìted Pary wìl
provìde a formal wrtten response to any fidìngs ìn an audit wìthin thìy
(30) calendar days of receìpt of any such findìngs. The Audìting Pary ìn
tur wìl respond to the Audìted Pary's response wìthi forty-five (45)
calendar days ofreceìpt of the Audited Pary's response.
7.1.7 Overcharges or Undercharges. If any audìt confirms any overcharge, then
the bìlìng Pary (or the Pary that bìled for servìces at more than the
appropriate charge) shall promptly correct any bìling error, includìng
refundìng any overpayment by the other Pary ìn the form of a credìt on
the ìnvoice for the first full bìlìng cycle after the Parìes have agreed
upon the accuracy of the audìt results. If any audìt confirms any
undercharge, then the bìled Party (or the Par that was provìded servces
at less than the approprìate charge) shall immedìately compensate the
bìllng Pary for such undercharge. In each case of overcharge or
undercharge, such rectìfyìng credìts and/or payments wìll be subject to
ìnterest at the lesser of one and one-half (1 Yí%) percent per month or the
hìghest rate of ìnterest that may be charged under Applìcable Law,
compounded daìly, for the number of days from the date on whìch such
undercharge or overcharge origiated untìl the date on whìch such credìt
ìs ìssued or payment ìs made and avaìlable, as the case may be.
7.1.8 Disputes. Any dìsputes concernìng audìt results shall be referred to the
Parìes' desìgnated representatìve(s) who have authority to settle the
dìspute. If these ìndìvìduals canot resolve the dìspute wìthn thìrty (30)
calendar days of the referral, the matter shall be resolved in accordance
wìth the procedures set forth ìn Sectìon 20 regardìng dispute resolution.
7.2 Traffic Audìts. On thìrty (30) calendar days' wrtten notìce, each Pary must
provìde the other the abìlìty and opportty to conduct an annual audìt to ensure
the proper routìng and bìlìng of traffc. CenturLìnk and ELTOPIA shall retaìn
records of call detaìl for a mìnÌmum of nìne (9) months from whìch a Percentage
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Local Use (PLU) and/or Percentage Interstate Use (PIU can be ascertained. The
audìt shall be accomplìshed durng normal busìness hours at an office desìgnated
by the Pary being audìted. Audìt requests shall not be submìtted more
frequently than one (1) time per Contract Year (as defined ìn Section 7.1 above).
Audìts shall be performed by a mutually acceptable independent audìtor paìd for
by the Pary requestìng the audìt. The PLU and/or Pil shall be adjusted based
upon the audìt results and shall apply to the usage for the quarer the audìt was
completed, to the usage for the quarer prior to the completìon of the audìt, and to
the usage for the two quarers followìng the completìon of the audit.
7.2.1 Percentage Local Use. Upon request of eìtherPary, each Pary wìl
report to the other an accurate Percentage Local Usage ("PLU") to
determine the amount of Local Traffic minutes to be bìled to the other
Pary uness the bìllng Pary ìs able to track Local Traffic usage. For
puroses of developìng the PLU, each Pary shall consider every Local
Traffic call and every non-Local Traffic call, excludìng Transìt Traffc.
Requests to calculate or recalculate PLU shall be made no more
frequently than every twelve (12) months. Notwìthstandìng the
foregoing, where the termìnatìng Pary has message recording technology
that ìdentìfies the jursdìctìon of traffic termìnated as defined ìn ths
Agreement, such informatìon shall be utìlìzed to determìne the
appropriate Local Traffic usage compensatìon to be paìd, ìf any, ìn lìeu of
PLU at the termìnatìng Pary's optìon.
8.0 AUTHORIZATION AND AUTHORITY
8.1 Each person whose sìgnatue appears on thìs Agreement represents and warrants
that he or she has authority to bìnd the Party on whose behalf he or she has
executed thìs Agreement. Each Pary represents he or she has had the
opportty to consult wìth legal counsel of hìs, her or ìts choosìng, and
ELTOPIA has not relìed on CentuLìnk's counselor on representatìons by
CentuLìnk's personnel not specifically contaied ìn tms Agreement, ìn entering
ìnto thìs Agreement.
8.2 CenturyLìnk represents and warants that ìt ìs a corporatìon duly organìzed,
valìdly exìsting and ìn good standìng under the laws of the State of Idaho and has
full power and authority to execute and delìver tms Agreem.ent and to perform ìts
oblìgatìons under thìs Agreement.
8.3 ELTOPIA represents and warants that ìt ìs a lìmìted lìabìlìty company duly
organzed, valìdly exìstìng and ìn good standing under the laws of the State of
Idaho, and has full power and authority to execute and delìver thìs Agreement
and to perform ìts oblìgatìons under thìs Agreement.
8.4 ELTOPIA Certificatìon. Notwìthstanding any other provìsìon ofthìs Agreement,
CentuLìnk shall have no oblìgatìon to perform under this Agreement untìl such
tìme as ELTOPIA has obtaìned such FCC and Commìssìon authorizatìon(s) as
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may be requìred by Applìcable Law for conductìng busìness ìn the State as a
ELTOPIA. ELTOPIA must represent and warant to CentuLink that ìt ìs a
certìfied local provìder of Telephone Exchange Servìce in the State. ELTOPIA
wil provide a copy of ìts Certificate of Operatìng Authority or other evìdence of
ìts status to CenturLìnk upon request. ELTOPIA shall not place any orders
under thìs Agreement until ìt has obtaìned such authorizatìon. ELTOPIA shall
provìde proof of such authorization to CentuLìnk upon request.
9.0 BILLING & PAYMENTSIDISPUTED AMOUNTS
Except as provìded elsewhere ìn tms Agreement and, where applìcable, ìn conformance
wìth Multìple Exchange Carer Access Billng (MECAB) guìdelìnes and Multìple
Exchange Carers Ordering and Design Guìdelìnes for Access Servìces- Industr Support
Interface (MECOD), ELTOPIA and CenturyLink agree to exchange all ìnformatìon to
accurately, reliably, and properly order and bìl for featues, fuctìons and servìces
provìded under thìs Agreement.
9.1 Back Bilìng. The Parìes wil bìl each other ìn a tìmely maner. Neìther Pary
wil ìnìtìate credìt claìms or bìl the other Party for prevìously unbiled, under-
bìled or over-bìled charges for servìces that were provìded more than one (1)
year prior to the applìcable bìl date. Each Pary wìl provide prompt notìce of
any ìntent to claìm credìts or bìl for charges ìncured more than nìnety (90)
calendar days prior.
9.2 Payment. Except as otherwise provìded ìn tils Agreement, payment of amounts
bìled for servìces provìded under this Agreement, whether billed on a monthy
basis or as otherwìse provìded ìn ths Agreement, shall be due, in immedìately
available U.S. fuds, wìthn tilrt (30) calendar days of the Bìl Date ("Bìl Due
Date"). If the Bìl Due Date ìs a Satuday, Sunday, or has been desìgnated a ban
holìday, payment will be made the next Busìness Day. Payments may be
transmìtted by electronìc fuds transfer. Late payment charges, ìf any, wìl be
payable in accordance wìth the provìsìons oftms Agreement.
9.3 Late Payment Charges. If any undìsputedamount due on a bilìng statement ìs
not receìved by the bìlìng Pary by the Bìl Due Date, the bìlìng Party shall
calculate and assess, and the bìled Pary agrees to pay, a late payment charge on
the past due balance equal to one and one-half (1 12%) percent per month or the
hìghest rate of ìnterest that may be charged under Applìcable Law, compounded
daily, for the number of days from the Bil Date untìl the date on whìch such
payment ìs made. Such late payment charges shall be ìncluded on the bìllng
Party's next statement to the billed Pary.
9.4 Dìsputed Amounts. If any portìon of an amount biled by a Party under thìs
Agreement ìs subject to a good faìth dìspute between the Parìes, the bìled Pary
shall gìve wrtten notìce to the bìlìng Pary of the amounts ìt dìsputes ("Dìsputed
Amounts") and shall ìnclude ìn such notìce the specific details and reasons for
dìsputing each ìtem. Such wrtten notìce shall be submitted ìn accordance WÌth
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the guìdelìnes for submìttìng bìlìng dìspute claìms set forth ìn CentuLink's
CLEC Servìce Guìde. Dìsputed bìlìng claìms shall be submìtted no later than
the Bìl Due Date. Faìlure by the bìledPary to file any such claìm before the
Bil Due Date means that the total charges biled are due and payable to the
bilìng Pary on the due date. The bìled Pary may not wìthhold payment of
amounts past the due date pending a later filìng of a dìspute, but must pay all
amounts due for whìch ìt has not provìded a written notìce of dìspute on or prior
to the Bìl Due Date. If the billed Pary disputes charges after the Bìl Due Date
and has not paìd such charges, such charges shall be subject to late payment
charges. Both ELTOPIA and CentuLink agree to expedìte the ìnvestìgatìon of
any Dìsputed Amounts, promptly provìde all documentatìon regarding the
amount dìsputed that ìs reasonably requested by the other Pary, and work ìn
good faìth ìn an effort to resolve and settle the dìspute through ìnformal means
prior to ìnìtìatìng formal dìspute resolutìon.
9.4.1 If the biled Pary dìsputes any charges and any portìon of the dìspute ìs
resolved ìn favor of the bìled Pary, the Pares shall cooperate to ensure
that (a) the bìllng Party shall credìt the invoìce of the bìled Party for that
portìon of the Dìsputed Amount resolved ìn favor of the bìled Pary,
together wìth any late payment charges assessed wìth respect thereto no
later than the second Bìl Due Date after the resolutìon of the billìng
dìspute.
9.5 Effect of Non-Payment.
9.5.1 If the billed Pary does not remìt payment of all undìsputed charges on a
bìl by the Bìl Due Date, the bìlìng Pary may dìscontìnue processìng
orders for relevant or lìke services provìded under thìs Agreement on or
after the tenth (10th) calendar day following the Bìl Due Date. The
bìlìng Pary wìl notify the other Pary ìn wrtìng, vìa emaìl or certified
maì1, at least five (5) Calendar Days prior to dìscontinuìng the processing
of orders for the relevant servìces. If the bìlìng Pary does not refuse to
accept addìtìonal orders for servìce(s) on the date specìfied ìn such notìce,
and the bìled Party's non-complìance contìnues, nothìng contaìned hereìn
shall preclude the bìling Pary from refusing to accept any or all
addìtìonal orders for servìce(s) from the non-complyìng Pary wìthout
fuher notìce or from bìllng and collecting the appropriate charges from
the bìled Pary. For order processìng to resume, the bìled Party wìl be
required to make full payment of all past and curent undisputed charges
under tils Agreement for the relevant servìces. Addìtìonally, the biling
Pary may requìre a deposìt or assurance of payment (or addìtìonal
deposìt or assurance of payment) from the bìled Pary, pursuant to
Sectìon 6. hi addìtìon to other remedìes that may be avaì1able at law or
equìty, the bìled Pary reserves the right to seek equìtable relìef,
ìnc1udìng ìnjunctìve relìef and specìfic performance.
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9.5.2 Notwìthstandìng 9.5.1 above, if the biled Pary does not remìt payment
of all undìsputed charges on a bill by the Bill Due Date, the bìling Pary
may at ìts optìon disconnect any and all relevant or related serìces
provìded under thìs Agreement followìng wrtten notìficatìon to the bìled
Pary at least seven (7) Busìness Days prior to dìsconnectìon of the
unpaìd servìce(s). Such notìficatìon may be ìncluded ìn a notìficatìon to
refuse to accept addìtìonal orders so long as the appropriate dates for each
consequence are lìsted thereìn. If the biled Party subsequently pays all of
such undìsputed charges and desìres to reconnect any such disconnected
servìces, the bìled Pary shall pay the applìcable charge set forth ìn ths
Agreement or ìn the applìcable Tariff for reconnecting each servìce
dìsconnected pursuant to tms paragraph. In case of such dìsconnectìon,
all applìcable undìsputed charges, ìncludìng termìnatìon charges, shall
become due and payable. If the bìling Party does not disconnect the
bìled Part's servìce( s) on the date specìfied ìn such notìce, and the bìled
Party's non-complìance contìnues, nothìng contaìned hereìn shall
preclude the bìlìng Pary from dìsconnectìng all servìce( s) of the non-
complyìng Pary wìthout further notìce or from bìlìng and collectìng the
appropriate charges from the bìled Pary. For reconnectìon of the non.
paid servìce to occur, the bìled Pary wìl be requìred to make full
payment of all past and current undìsputed charges under thìs Agreement
for the relevant servìces. Addìtìonally, the bìllng Party may require a
deposìt or assurance of payment (or addìtional deposìt or assurance of
payment) from the bìled Pary, pursuant to Sectìon 6. In addìtìon to other
remedìes that may be avaìlable at law or equìty, the bìllng Party reserves
the right to seek equìtable relìef, ìncludìng ìnjunctìve relìef and specìfic
performance.
9.5.3 Notwìthstandìng 9.5.1 and 9.5.2 above, ìf the bìling Pary ìs forced to
undertake collectìon efforts for undisputed, defaulted or post-termìnatìon
amounts outstandìng, the bìled Pary ìs lìable for reìmbursement to the
bìlìng Pary any and all costs assocìated wìth the collectìon of such a debt
ìncludìng but not lìmìted to collectìon agency fees and legal fees.
10.0 Intentionally left blank
11.0 CAPACITY PLANNING AND FORECASTS
Wìthìn thìrty (30) calendar days from the Effectìve Date of thìs Agreement, or as soon
after the Effectìve Date as practìcable, the Parìes agree to meet and develop joìnt
planng and forecasting responsìbìlìtìes whìch are applìcable to local servìces, UNs,
number portabìlìty and ìnterconnectìon servìces. CentuLìnk may delay processìng
ELTOPIA servìce orders should ELTOPIA not perform oblìgatìons as specìfied ìn ths
Sectìon. Such responsìbilitìes shall ìnclude but are not lìmìted to the followìng:
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11.1 The Parìes wìl establìsh periodìc reviews of network and technology plans and
will notìfy one another no later than sìx (6) months in advance of changes that
would ìmpact eìther Pary's provìsion of servìces.
11.2 ELTOPIA wìl fuìsh to CentuLink informatìon that provìdes for statewìde
anual forecasts of order actìvìty, ìn-servìce quantìty forecasts, and
facilìty/demand forecasts. If durng the Term of tms Agreement, ELTOPIA
desìres to offer servìces ìn a CentuLink local callng area for wmch ELTOPIA
has not prevìously submìtteda forecast, ELTOPIA shall submìt a revìsed
statewìde anual forecast that ìncorporates the ìnformatìon ìdentìfied above for
the new local calling area or a supplemental forecast for such local callng area
providìng the ìnformatìon ìdentìfied above. ELTOPIA shall submit such revìsed
or supplemental forecast as soon as practìcable, but in no event less than thìrt
(30) calendar days before ìt orders servìces and/or facilìtìes under thìs Agreement
ìn the new CenturLink local callng area.
11.3 The Parìes wìl develop joint forecastìng responsìbilitìes for traffc exchange
over trunk groups and yearly forecasted tru quantitìes as set forth ìn Arìcle IV
(Interconnectìon).
11.4 ELTOPIA shall notìfy CentuLìnk promptly of any changes ìn ELTOPIA's
busìness or prevaìlìng busìness condìtions that may ìmpact any of ìts forecasts ìn
the next forecastìng period more than ten percent (10%) to curent forecasts
(increase or decrease). ELTOPIA orders that exceed ìts forecast shall only be
filled by CentuLìnk to the extent that requested capacìty ìs Curently Available.
11.5 CenturLink reserves the right to condìtìon the fulfillment of addìtìonal servìce
orders on satìsfactory ELTOPIA fill rates ìn prevìously ordered capacìty, or on
ELTOPIA payment for all of the addìtìonal capacìty absent satìsfactory fill rates.
11.5.1 Requested or forecasted facìlìty addìtìons not justìfied by traffic
fill rates and fill rate trends wìl not be provìsìoned unless ELTOPIA
provìdes proof of the needed ìncrease at a specìfic poìnt ìn tìme. All
ìnformatìon provìded by ELTOPIA wìl be consìdered confidentìal
ìnformatìon under federal law and Agreement terms.
11.6 CenturyLìnk reserves the right to assess ELTOPIA a stranded plant/facìlty or
dìscontìnued servìce order charge for capacìty forecast by ELTOPIA but not used
by ELTOPIA wìthin sìx (6) months after a forecast period to the extent that
CentuLìnk buìlt the p1ant/facìlìty based on ELTOPIA's order.
12.0 CHANGES IN LAW
Except as provìded in Sectìon 12.3 below, the terms and condìtìons of thìs Agreement
shall be subject to any and all changes ìn Applìcable Law, inc1udìng but not lìmìted to
changes to rules and regulatìons that subsequently may be prescribed by any federal,
state or local governental authority havìng competent jursdìctìon.
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12.1 Removal of Exìsting Oblìgatìons. Notwthstanding anytmng ìn thìs Agreement
to the contrar, ìf, as a result of any legìslatìve, judicìal, regulatory or other
governental decìsìon, order, determìnatìon or actìon, or any change ìn
Applìcable Law subsequent to the Effectìve Date, CenturLin ìs no longer
requìred by Applìcable Law to contìnue to provìde any service, facìlity, payment
or benefit otherwìse required to be provided to ELTOPIA under tms Agreement,
then CentuLìnk may dìscontinue the provìsìon of any such servìce, facìlity,
payment or benefit. CentuLink wil provìde tmrty (30) calendar days prior
wrtten notìce to ELTOPIA of any such dìscontìnuatìon of a servìce or facìlty,
unless a dìfferent notìce period or dìfferent condìtìons are specìfied by
Applicable Law for terminatìon of suchservìce, facìlity, payment or .benefit, ìn
whìch event such specìfied period and/or condìtìons shall apply. The Parìes may
amend thìs Agreement pursuant to Sectìon 4 to reflect such change ìn Applicable
Law. If ELTOPIA dìsputes CenturLìnk's dìscontinuance of such servìce,
facì1ìty, payment or benefit, the dìspute resolutìon procedures of Sectìon 20 shall
apply, and any consequent changes to the terms of thìs Agreement (ìncludìng
billing terms) as a result of such change ìn Applìcable Law shall be retroactìve to
the dìscontìnuatìon date set forth ìn CentuLìnk's wrtten notìce to ELTOPIA or
the date specìfied by Applìcable Law, whìchever applìes.
12.2 Addìtions to Exìstìng Oblìgations. Notwthstandìng anythig ìn this Agreement
to the contrar, ìf, as a result of any legìslatìve, judìcìal, regulatory or other
governental decìsìon, order, determìnatìon or actìon, or any change ìn
Applìcable Law subsequent to the Effectìve Date, CentuLìnk ìs requìred by
such change ìn Applìcable Law to provìde a servìce not already provìded to
ELTOPIA under the terms of thìs Agreement, the Parìes agree to add or modìfy,
ìn wrting, the affected term(s) and conditìon(s) of tms Agreement to the extent
necessar to bring them ìnto complìance wìth such change ìn Applicable Law.
The Parìes shall intìate negotiatìons to add or modify such terms upon the
wrtten request of a Party. The Parìes agree to negotiate such addìtìonal or
modìfied terms and condìtìons wìtmn thìrty (30) calendar days of receìpt of the
requesting Par's written request. If the Parìes cannot agree to additìonal or
modìfied terms to amend the Agreement, the Parìes shall submìt the dìspute to
dìspute resolutìon pursuant to the procedures set forth ìn Sectìon 20.
12.3 Notwìthstandìng Sectìons 12.1 and 12.2, to the extent that the Parìes have agreed
to any terms and condìtìons set forth ìn thìs Agreement that do not reflect or fully
reflect the extent of the Parìes' respectìve rights and/or oblìgatìons under
Applìcable Law for good and valuable consìderatìon through the process of good
faìth negotìatìons, a subsequent change ìn Applìcable Law may not be gìven
effect ìn ths Agreement, through the amendment process or otherwse, wìthout
the mutual consent of both Pares. Any terms reached by the Paries constìtutìng
a Voluntar Agreement to whìch thìs Sectìon 12.3 applìes shall be ìdentified as
beìng an agreement made "pursuant to Sectìon 12.3" or by language of sìmilar
ìmport.
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13.0 CLEC PROFILE
13.1 ELTOPIA shall not place any orders under thìs Agreement untìl ìt has completed
and submitted to CentuLìnk a "CLEC Profie," ìn a form provìded by
CenturLìnk and, ìf required by CentuLìnk, paìd a deposìt for assurance of
payment pursuant to Sectìon 9. Among other thìngs requìred to be lìsted on the
CLEC Profile, ELTOPIA wìl provìde to CentuLìnk ìts Operatìng Company
Number (OCN), Company Code (CC), and Customer Carer Name Abbreviatìon
(CCNA) as described in the CenturyLìnk Servìce Guìde. ELTOPIA wìl
document ìts Certìficate of Operatìng Authority on the CLEC Profile and agrees
to promptly update thìs CLEC Profile as necessar to reflect ìts curent
certìficatìon.
13.2 Certificate of Operatìng Authority. ELTOPIA must represent and warant to
CentuLìnk that it ìs a certìfied provìder oflocal Telephone Exchange Service ìn
the State. ELTOPIA wìl provìde a copy of ìts Certìficate of Operatìng Authority
or other evìdence of ìts status to CenturLìnk upon request.
14.0 CONFIDENTIAL INFORMTION
14.1 Identìficatìon. EÌther Party may dìsclose to the other proprietar or confidentìal
customer, technìcal, or busìness ìnformatìon ìn wrtten, grapmc, oral or other
tangìble or ìntangìble forms ("Confidentìal Informatìon"). In order for
ìnformatìon to be consìdered Confdentìal Informatìon under thìs Agreement, ìt
must be marked "Confidentìal" or "Proprietar," or bear a markìng of simìlar
ìmport. Orally or vìsually dìsclosed ìnformatìon shall be deemed Confidentìal
Informatìon only if contemporaneously ìdentìfied as such and reduced to wrtìng
and delìvered to the other Pary wìth a statement or markìng of confidentìalìty
withìn thìrt (30) calendar days after oral or vìsual dìsclosure.
Notwìthstandìng the foregoìng, pre-orders, and all orders for servìces or UNs
placed by ELTOPIA pursuant to tils Agreement, and ìnformatìon that would
constìtute Customer Proprietary Network Informatìon (CPNI) of ELTOPIA End
User Customers pursuant to the Act and the rules and regulatìons of the FCC, as
well as recorded usage ìnformatìon with respect to ELTOPIA End User
Customers, whether disclosed by ELTOPIA to CentuLink or otherwìse
acquired by CenturLìnk ìn the course of ìts performance under tils Agreement,
ìs consìdered Confidentìal Informatìon.
14.2 Handlìng. In order to protect such Confidential Informatìon from ìmproper
dìsclosure, each Party agrees:
(a) That all Confidentìal Informatìon shall be and shall remain the
exclusìve property of the source;
(b) To lìmìt access to such Confdentìal Informatìon to authorized
employees who have a need to know the Confidentìal Informatìon for
performance ofthìs Agreement;
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(c) To keep such Confidentìal Informatìon confidentìal and to use the
same level of care to prevent dìsclosure or unauthorized use of any
Confidentìal Informatìon ìt receives as ìt exercìses ìn protecting its own
Confidential Informatìon of a sìmìlar nature;
(d) Not to copy, publìsh, or dìsclose such Confidential Informatìon to
others or authorize anyone else to copy, publìsh, or dìsclose such
Confidential Informatìon to others wìthout the prior wrtten approval of
the source;
(e) To promptly retu any copìes of such Confidentìal Informatìon to
the source at ìts request;
(f) To use such Confidentìal Informatìon only for puroses of
performìng work or servìces described hereunder and for other puroses
only upon such terms as may be agreed upon between the Parìes ìn
wrtìng; and
(g) Subject to the exceptìons ìn Sectìon 14.3 below, ìf the Pary
receìving Confidentìal Informatìon wìshes to dìsclose the dìsclosìng
Pary's Confidentìal Informatìon to a thìrd-pary, such dìsclosure must be
agreed to in wrtìng by the disclosing Pary, and the tmrd-pary must have
executed a wrtten agreement of nondìsclosure and nonuse comparable ìn
scope to the terms of tms Sectìon.
14.3 Exceptìons. These obligatìons shall not apply to any Confidentìal Informatìon
that was legally ìn the recìpìents possessìon prior to receipt from the source, was
receìved ìn good faith from a thìrd pary not subject to a confidentìal oblìgatìon to
the source, now ìs or later becomes publìcly known through no breach of
confdentìal oblìgatìon by the recìpìent, was developed by the recìpìent wìthout
the developìng persons havìng access to any of the Confidentìal Informatìon
receìved ìn confidence from the source, or that ìs required to be dìsclosed
pursuant to subpoena or other legal process ìssued by a cour or administratìve
agency having approprìate jursdìctìon; provìded, however, that, subject to
Sectìons 28.3 and 28.3.1, the recìpìent shall gìve prior notìce to the source before
disclosìng Confidentìal Informatìon and shall reasonably cooperate ìf the source
deems ìt necessar to seek protectìve arangements.
14.4 Surìva1.
The oblìgatìon of confidentìalìtyand use wìth respect to Confidentìal Informatìon
dìsclosed by one Pary to the other shall surìve any termìnatìon of thìs
Agreement for a period of three (3) years from the date of the inìtìal dìsclosure of
the Confidentìal Informatìon.
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15.0 CONSENT
Except as otherwìse expressly stated ìn this Agreement (ìncludìng, but not lìmited to,
where consent, approval, agreement or a sìmìlar actìon ìs stated to be wìtmn a Pary's
sole dìscretìon), where consent, approval, mutual agreement or a sìmìlar actìon ìs
requìred by any provìsìon of. thìs Agreement, such actìon shall not be uneasonably
wìthheld, condìtìoned or delayed.
16.0 CONTACTS BETWEEN THE PARTIES
Each Party shall update ìts own contact ìnformatìon and escalatìon lìst and shall provìde
such ìnformatìon to the other Pary for puroses of ìnquìries regarding the
implementatìon of thìs Agreement. Each Pary shall accept all ìnquìries from the other
Pary and provìde a tìmely response. CenturLìnk wìl provìde and maìntaìn ìts contact
and escalatìon list in ìts CentuLìnk Servìce Guìde ("Guìde") as amended and updated
from tìme to tìme. The Guìde ìs provìded to ELTOPIA on CenturyLìnk's Website, and
any updates also wìl be provìded on the Websìte ìn the event such ìnformatìon changes.
Informatìon contaìned ìn the Guide wìl include a sìngle contact telephone number for
CenturLìnk's CLEC Servìce Center (vìa an 800#) that ELTOPIA may call for all
ordering and status ìnquìries and other day-to-day ìnquìries between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday (except holìdays). In addìtìon, the Guìde wìl provide ELTOPIA
wìth contact ìnformatìon for the personnel and/or organzatìons wìtmn CenturyLìnk
capable of assìsting ELTOPIA wìth ìnquìries regardìng the ordering, provìsìonìng and
bìling of ìnterconnectìon servìces. Included in thìs ìnformatìon wìl be the contact
informatìon for a person or persons to whom ELTOPIA can escalate ìssues dealing wìth
the ìmplementatìon of the Agreement and/or for assìstance ìn resolving dìsputes arsìng
under the Agreement.
17.0 CONTACTS WITH CUSTOMERS
Except as otherwìse provìded ìn thìs Agreement, ELTOPIA shall provìde the exclusìve
ìnterface wìth ELTOPIA's End User Customers.
18.0 COUNTERPARTS
Thìs Agreement may be executed ìn two or more counterpars, each of wmch shall be
deemed an origìnal and all of whìch together shall constìtute one and the same
ìnstrent.
19.0 Intentionally left blank
20.0 DISPUTE RESOLUTION
The following provìsìons apply to dìspute resolutìon under the Agreement, except that
the terms of Sectìon 9 of thìs Arìcle apply to the resolutìon of any bìlìng dìsputes.
20.1 Alternatìve to Lìtìgatìon. Except as provìded under Sectìon 252 of the Act WÌth
respect to the approval of ths Agreement by the Commìssìon, the Parìes desìre
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to resolve disputes arsìng out of or relatìng to tms Agreement wìthout lìtìgatìon.
Accordìngly, except for an actìon seekìng a temporar restraìnìng order or an
ìnjunctìon related to the purposes of tils Agreement, or sint to compel
complìance wìth thìs dìspute resolutìon process, the Partìes agree to use the
followìng alternatìve dìspute resolutìon procedures as the sole remedy wìth
respect to any controversy or claìm arsìng out of or relatìng to thìs Agreement or
ìts breach.
20.2 Negotìatìons. At the wrtten request of a Pary, each Party wìl appoìnt a
knowledgeable, responsìble representatìve to meet and negotìate ìn good faìth to
resolve any dìspute arsìng out of or relatìng to tms Agreement. The Parìes
ìntend that these negotìatìons be conducted in a busìness-to-business fashìon. It
shall be left to each Pary to select its own representatìve(s) for such negotiatìons.
The locatìon, format, frequency, duration, and conclusìon of these dìscussìons
shall be left to the dìscretion of the representatìves. Upon agreement, the
representatìves may utìlìze other alternatìve dìspute resolutìon procedures such as
medìatìon to assìst ìn the negotìations. Discussìons and correspondence among
the representatìvesfor purposes of these negotiatìons shall be treated as
confidentìal ìnformatìon developed for puroses of settlement, . exempt from
dìscovery, and shall not be admìssìble ìn the arbìtratìon described below or ìn any
lawsuìt wìthout the concurence of all Parìes. Documents identìfied ìn or
provìded with such communcatìons, whìch are not prepared for purposes of the
negotìatìons, are not so exempted and may, ìf otherwìse dìscoverable, be
dìscovered or otherwise admssìble, be admìtted ìn evìdence, in the arbìtratìon or
lawsuìt.
20.3 Arbitratìon. If the negotìatìons do not resolve the dìspute wìthin sìxty (60)
Business Days of the ìnìtìal wrtten request, the dìspute shall be submìtted to
bìnding arbìtratìon by a sìngle arbìtrator pursuant to the Commercìal Arbìtratìon
Rules of the American Arbìtration Assocìatìon ("AA"), except that the Parìes
may select an arbìtrator outsìde American Arbitratìon Assocìatìon rules upon
mutual agreement. The arbìtratìon may be submìtted to the Commìssìon upon
mutual agreement of the Parìes. If the State Commìssìon ìs selected as the
arbìtrator, ìts arbìtratìon rules shall apply. Otherwìse, the rules described ìn par
(a) below shall be applìcable.
(a) A Pary may demand arbìtratìon ìn accordance wìth the procedures
set out ìn the AA rules. Dìscovery shall be controlled by the arbìtrator
and shall be permìtted to the extent set out ìn tms section. Each Pary may
submit ìn wrtìng to a Pary, and that Pary shall so respond to, a maxìmum
of any combìnatìon of thìrty-five (35) of the followìng (none of whìch
may have subpars): ìnterrogatories; demands to produce documents; or
requests for admìssìon. Each Pary ìs also entitled to take the oral
deposìtìon of up to three (3) ìndìvìduals of another Pary. Unless
otherwìse mutually agreed by the Parìes, the Pary of the deponent shall
select the tìme and 10catìon for each such deposìtìon. (The Pary selecting
the tìme and locatìon of a deposìtìon shall do so wìth reasonable
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accommodatìon of the other Pary's schedule and wìthout causìng the
other Pary unduly burdensome travel costs. In any event, it shall be
deemed reasonable to select as the location for the deposìtìon the city
where the deponent resìdes and/or works.) Each Par shall bear ìts own
travel expenses ìncured to parìcìpate ìn such deposìtions. Addìtìonal
discovery may be permtted upon mutual agreement of the Parìes. The
arbìtratìon hearng shall be commenced wìthin sìxty (60) Busìness Days of
the demand for arbìtration. The arbìtratìon shall be held ìn a mutually
agreeable cìty. The arbìtrator shall control the schedulìng so as to process
the matter expedìtìously. The Parìes may submìt wrtten briefs. The
arbìtrator shall rule on the dìspute by ìssuing a wrtten opinion wìthìn
thirt (30) Busìness Days after the close of hearngs. The tìmes specìfied
ìn thìs sectìon may be extended upon mutual agreement of the Parìes or
by the arbitrator upon a showìng of good cause.
(b) Judgment upon the award rendered by the arbìtrator, whether ìt be
the Commissìon or an AA or other arbìtrator, may be entered ìn any
cour havìng jursdìctìon. If post-arbìtratìon enforcement efforts must be
undertaken due to a Pary's faìlure to render the award by the date due, the
defaultìng Pary wìll reimburse the other Pary any and all costs. assocìated
wìth collection of such a debt including but not lìmìted to legal and cour
costs.
(c) Notwìthstandìng (b) above, a Pary may appeal a judgment
provìded that the Pary must place any amounts awarded ìnto an ìnterest-
bearng escrow account pendìng the outcome of the appeaL. An appeal
fied prior to the date an award ìs due shall not be consìdered a default that
trggers. the reìmbursement provìsìon of (b) above so long as the requìred
escrow has been made as well.
20.4 Expedìted Arbìtratìon Procedures. If the issue to be resolved through the
negotìatìons referenced ìn Sectìon 20.2 ìs alleged to constìtute a Servìce
Affectìng dìspute, then the period for resolutìon of the dìspute through
negotìatìons before the dìspute ìs to be submìtted to binding arbìtratìon shall be
ten (10) Busìness Days. Once a Servìce Affectìng dispute ìs submìtted to
arbìtratìon, and if arbìtratìon wìth the Commìssìon ìs not selected, the arbìtratìon
shall be conducted pursuant to the expedìted procedures rules of the Commercìal
Arbìtratìon Rules of the American Arbìtratìon Assocìatìon (i.e., rules 53 though
57).
20.5 Costs. Except for 20.3 (b) above, each Party shall bear ìts own costs of these
procedures. A Pary seekìng dìscovery shall reìmburse the respondìng Pary the
reasonable costs of productìon of documents (ìncludìng search time and
reproductìon costs). The Partìes shall equally splìt the fees of the arbìtratìon and
the arbìtrator.
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20.6 Continuous Servìce. Except where the dìspute pertaìns to techncal feasibìlìty or
a lack of facì1tìes, the Parìes shall contìnue providìng services to each other
durng the pendency of any dìspute resolutìon procedure, and the Paries shall
contìnue to perform theìr obligatìons (ìncludìng makìng payments in accordance
wìth Sectìon 9) ìn accordance wìth tms Agreement. However, during the
pendency of any dìspute resolutìon procedures, CenturyLìnk reserves the right
not to accept new ELTOPIA servìce orders.
21.0 ENTIRE AGREEMENT
Thìs Agreement constitutes the entìre agreement of the Parìes pertainìng to the subject
matter of thìs Agreement and supersedes all prior agreements, negotìatìons, proposals,
and representatìons, whether wrtten or oral, and all contemporaneous oral agreements,
negotìatìons, proposals, and representatìons concernìng such subject matter. No
representatìons, understandìngs, agreements, or warantìes, expressed or ìmplìed, have
been made or relìed upon ìn the makng of this Agreement other than those specìfically
set forth hereìn.
22.0 EXPENSES
22.1 In performìngunder thìs Agreement, CentuLìnk may be requìred to make
expendìtures or otherwìse ìncur costs that are not otherwìse reìmbursed under tms
Agreement. In such event, CentuLìnk ìs entìtled to reìmbursement from
ELTOPIA for all such costs. For all such costs and expenses, CentuLìnk shall
receìve through nonrecurng charges ("NRCs") the actual costs and expenses
ìncured, ìnc1udìng labor costs and expenses, overhead and fixed charges, and
may ìnclude a reasonable contrbutìon to CentuLink's common costs. If
ELTOPIA makes a request that ìnvolves expenditues or costs not otherwìse
covered under tms agreement, CentuLìnk wìll provìde a quote to ELTOPIA in
a tìmely maner and ELTOPIA must agree to accept the quoted charges prior to
CentuLìnk's ìnitìatìon of work.
22.2 Except as specìfically set out ìn thìs Agreement, each Pary shall be solely
responsìble for ìts own expenses ìnvolved ìn all actìvìtìes related to the subject of
tms Agreement.
23.0 FORCE MAJEURE
23.1 In the event performance of this Agreement, or any oblìgatìon hereunder, ìs eìther
dìrectly or ìndìrectly prevented, restrcted, or ìnterfered wìth by reason of fire,
flood, earquake or lìke acts of God, wars, terrorism, revolutìon, cìvìl
commotìon, explosìon, aCts of publìc enemy, embargo, acts of the governent ìn
ìts sovereìgn capacìty, labor dìfficultìes, ìncluding wìthout lìmìtation, strkes,
slowdowns, pìcketìng, or boycotts, unavaìlabìlìty of equìpment from. vendor,
changes requested by customer, or any other material change of cìrcumstances
beyond the reasonable control and wìthout the fault or neglìgence of the Pary
affected ("Force Majeure Events"), the Pary affected, upon gìvìg prompt notìce
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to the other Pary, shall be excused from such performance on a day-to-day basìs
to the extent of such prevention, restrctìon, or ìnterference (and the other Pary
shall likewìse be excused from pedormance of its obligatìons on a day-to-day
basìs until the delay, restrction or interference has ceased); provided however,
that the Pary so affected shall use commercìally reasonable efforts to avoìd or
remove such causes of nonperformance or Force Majeure Events, and both
Parìes shall proceed whenever such causes or Force Majeure Events are removed
or cease.
23.2 It ìs expressly agreed that ìnsolvency or financìal distress of a Pary ìs not a Force
Majeure Event and ìs not otherwìse subject to thìs Sectìon 23. Notwthstandìng
the provìsìons of Section 23.1 above, ìn no case shall a Force Majeure Event
excuse eìther Par from an oblìgatìon to pay money as requìred by ths
Agreement.
24.3 Notmng in tms Agreement shall requìre the non-performìng Pary to settle any
labor dìspute except as the non-performìng Party, ìn its sole dìscretìon,
determìnes appropriate.
24.0 FRUD
ELTOPIA assumes responsìbìlìty for all fraud assocìated wìth ìts End User Customers
and accounts. CenturLìnk wìl cooperate in good faìth but shall bear no responsìbìlty
for, nor ìs ìt requìred to ìnvestìgate or make adjustments to, ELTOPIA's account ìn cases
of fraud.
25.0 GOOD FAITH PERFORMANCE
25.1 The Parìes shall act ìn good faìth ìn the pedormance of theìr oblìgatìons under
thìs Agreement.
25.2 Performance Issues. In the spìrit of good faìth and upon request by eìther Pary,
the Parìes agree to meet once a month durng the Term of tms Agreement, at
mutually agreed upon day and tìme, to dìscuss the performance of the Parìes
under thìs Agreement. The requestìng Party should provìde a proposed agenda ìn
advance of the meetìng. At each such monthly sessìon the Parìes may discuss: (ì)
the admìnìstratìon and maìntenance of the interconnectìons and tr groups
provìsìoned under thìs Agreement; (ü) the Parìes' provìsìoning of the servìces
and ancìlar functìons provìded under thìs Agreement; (üi) and any areas ìn
which such performance may be ìmproved; (ìv) any problems that were
encountered durng the preceding month or antìcìpated ìn the upcomìng month;
(v) the reason underlyìng any such problem and the effect, if any, that such
problem had, has or may have on the performance of the Parìes; and (vi) the
specìfic steps taken or proposed to be taken to remedy such problem. In addìtìon
to the foregoìng, the Parìes may meet to dìscuss any matters that relate to the
performance of thìs Agreement, as may be requested from time to tìme by eìther
of the Parìes.
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26.0 HEADINGS
The headngs in ths Agreement are ìnserted for convenience and ìdentificatìon only and
shall not be consìdered ìn the ìnterpretation ofthìs Agreement.
27.0 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
27.1 ELTOPIA acknowledges that ìts right under tms Agreement to ìnterconnect with
CenturLìnk's network may be subject to or limìted by Intellectual Property
rights (ìncludìng, without limitatìon, patent, copyrght, trade secret, trademark,
servìce mark, trade name and trade dress rights) and other rights of third parìes.
27.2 ELTOPIA acknowledges that servìces and facìlìties to be provìded by
CentuLìnk hereunder may use or incorporate products, servìces or informatìon
proprietar to thrd pary vendors and may be subject to or lìmìted by Intellectual
Property rights (ìncluding, wìthout lìmìtatìon, patent,copyrìght, trade secret,
trademark, servìce mark, trade name and trade dress rights) and other rights of
thrd partìes.
27.3 Upon wrtten request by ELTOPIA, CenturyLìnk wìl use commercìally
reasonable efforts to procure rights or lìcenses to allow CenturLìnk to use
Intellectual Property and other rights of tmrd paries to provìde ìnterconnectìon,
UNs, serìces and facìlìtìes to ELTOPIA ("Addìtìonal Rìghts and Lìcenses").
ELTOPIA shall promptly reimburse CenturLink for all costs incured by
CenturLìnk and/or CenturLìnk's Afflìates in connectìon with the procurement
of Addìtìonal Rìghts and Lìcenses, including wìthout lìmitatìon all softare
lìcense fees and/or maintenance fees, or any increase thereof, ìncured by
CentuLìnk or any CenturLìnk Affilìate. CenturLìnk shall have the right to
obtaìn reasonable assurances of such prompt reìmbursement by ELTOPIA prior to
the executìon by CenturLìnk or any CenturLìnk Afflìate of any new agreement
or extensìon of any exìstìng agreement relatìng to any Addìtional Rìghts and
Lìcenses. In the event ELTOPIA faìls to promptly reìmburse CentuLìnk for
any such cost, then, ìn addìtìon to other remedìes avaìlable to CenturyLìnk under
tms Agreement, CenturyLìnk shall have no oblìgatìon to provìde to ELTOPIA
any product, servìce or facìlìty to whìch such Addìtìonal Rìghts and Lìcenses
relate. In the event any product or servìce to whìch the Addìtìonal Rìghts and
Lìcenses relate ìs provìded to any careres) other than CentuLìnk,
CentuLink's Affilìates and ELTOPIA, CenturLìnk shall reasonably apportìon
among ELTOPIA and such non-CentuyLìnk carers, on a prospective basìs only,
the costs ìncured by CentuLink and/or ìts Affilìates ìn connectìon wìth the
procurement and contìnuatìon of such Addìtìonal Rìghts and Lìcenses; provìded,
however, that such apportìonment shall not apply to any prevìously ìncurred costs
and shall apply only for the period of such provìsìon to such carrere s).
27.5 Both Parìes agree to promptly ìnform the other of any pendìng or threatened
Intellectual Property Claìms of thìrd parìes that may arse ìn the performance of
thìs Agreement.
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27.6 For the purposes ofthìs Agreement, any Intellectual Property origìnatìng from or
developed by such Pary shall remaìn in the exclusìve ownershìp of that Pary.
Notwìthstandìng the exclusìve ownershìp of Intellectual Property origìnated by a
Pary, the Party that owns such Intellectual Property wìl not assess a separate fee
or charge to the other Party for the use of such Intellectual Property to the extent
used ìn the provìsìon of a product or servìce, avaìlable to eìther Party under tils
Agreement, that utìlizes such Intellectual Property to fuctìon properly.
27.7 Except as expressly stated ìn thìs Agreement, tms Agreement shall not be
constred as grantìng a lìcense wìth respect to any patent, copyrght, trade name,
trademark, servìce mark, trade secret or any other Intellectual Property, now or
hereafter owned, controlled or lìcensable by eìther Party. Except as expressly
provìded ìn thìs Agreement, neìther Pary may use any patent, copyrghtable
materials, trademark, trade name, trade secret or other Intellectual Property, of
the other Pary except ìn accordance wìth the terms of a separate lìcense
agreement between the Parìes grantìng such rights.
27.8 Except as provìded ìn Sectìon 27.3 and/or Sectìon 30.1, neìther Pary shall have
any oblìgatìon to defend, ìndemnìfy or hold harless, or acquìre any lìcense or
right for the benefit of, or owe any other obligatìon or have any lìabìlìty to, the
other Pary or ìts Affilìates or customers based on or arsìng from any thìrd pary
claìm allegìng orassertìng that the provìsìon or use of any servìce, facìlìty,
arangement, or softare by eìther Pary, or the performance of any servìce or
method, eìther alone or ìn conjunctìon wìth the other Pary, constìtutes dìrect,
vìcarious or contrbutory ìnfrngement or ìnducement to infrnge, or misuse or
mìsappropriatìon of any patent, copyrìght, trademark, trade secret, or any other
proprietary or ìntellectual property right of any Pary or thìrd person. Each Pary,
however, shall offer to the other reasonable cooperatìon and assìstance ìn the
defense of any such claìm.
27.9 NOTWITHSTANING AN OTHER PROVISION OF THIS AGREEMENT,
THE PARTIES AGREE THAT NEITHER PARTY HAS MAE, AN THAT
THERE DOES NOT EXIST, AN WARTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
THAT THE USE BY EACH PARTY OF THE OTHER'S SERVICES
PROVIDED UNDER THIS AGREEMENT SHALL NOT GIVE RISE TO A
CLAIM OF INRIGEMENT, MISUSE, OR MISAPPROPRITION OF AN
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHT.
28.0 LAW ENFORCEMENT
28.1 Except to the extent not avaìlable ìn connectìon wìth CentuLìnk's operatìon of
ìts own busìness, CenturyLìnk shall provìde seven days a week/twenty-four hours
a day assìstance to law enforcement persons for emergency traps, assistance
ìnvolvìng emergency traces and emergency ìnformatìon retreval on customer
ìnvoked CLASS servìces.
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28.2 Except where prohìbìted by a subpoena, cìvìl ìnvestìgatìve demand, or other legal
process as set forth ìn Sectìon 28.3.1, CentuLink agrees to work jointly wìth
ELTOPIA in securty matters to support law enforcement agency requìrements
for traps, traces, cour orders, etc. ELTOPIA shall be responsìble for and shall be
bìled for any charges assocìated wìth providìng such servìces for ELTOPIA's
End User Customers.
28.3 Where CentuLink receìves a subpoena from law enforcement, and ìts database
search shows that the telephone number ìn questìon ìs not a CentuLink account,
CenturLink shall send such ìnformation back to law enforcement, along with the
name of the company to whìch such account ìs connected, ìf avaìlable, for fuher
processing by law enforcement.
28.3 If a Pary receìves a subpoena, cìvìl ìnvestìgatìve demand, or other legal process
(hereìnafter, "subpoena") ìssued by a cour or governental agency havìng
appropriate jurisdìctìon, and such subpoena expressly prohibìts the Pary
receìvìng the subpoena ("receìvìng Pary") from dìsclosìng the receìpt of the
subpoena or the delìvery of a response to the subpoena, such receìving Par shall
not be requìred to notìfy the other Pary that it has receìved and/or responded to
such subpoena, even ìf the subpoena seeks or the receìvìng Pary's response
thereto dìscloses Confidentìal Informatìon of the other Pary or ìts customers.
Under such cìrcumstances, the receivìng Pary's dìsclosure to the other Pary of
ìts receipt of or delìvery of a response to such a subpoena shall be governed by
the requìrements of the subpoena and/or the court, governental agency or law
enforcement agency havìng appropriate jursdìctìon.
29.0 Intentionally left blank
30.0 LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION
30.1 Indemnificatìon Agaìnst Tmrd-Pary Claìms. Each Pary (the "Indemnìfyng
Pary") agrees to ìndemnfy, defend, and hold harless the other Pary (the
"Indemnìfied Party") and the other Pary's Subsìdìares, predecessors, successors,
Affilìates, and assigns, and all curent and former officers, directors, members,
shareholders, agents, contractors and employees of all such persons and entìtìes
(collectìvely, wìth Indemnìfied Pary, the "Indemnìtee Group"), from any and all
Claìms. "Claìm" means any actìon, cause of actìon, suìt, proceedìng, claìm, or
demand of any third pary (and all resultìng judgments, bona fide settlements,
penaltìes, damages, losses, liabìlìtìes, costs, and expenses (includìng, but not
lìmìted to, reasonable costs and attorneys' fees)), (a) based on allegations that, if
tre, would establìsh (ì) the Indemnìfyìng Pary's breach of thìs Agreement; (ìì)
the Indemnifyng Pary's mìsrepresentatìon, fraud or other mìsconduct; (ììì) the
Indemnìfyìng Pary's neglìgence; (ìv) ìnfrngement by the Indemnìfyìng Pary or
by any Indemnìfyng Pary product or servìce of any patent, copyrìght,
trademark, servìce mark, trade name, right of publìcìty or privacy, trade secret, or
any other proprietary right of any thìrd pary; (v) the Indemnìfyìng Pary's
lìabìlty ìn relatìon to any materìal that ìs defamatory or wrongfully dìscloses
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private or personal matters; or (vi) the Indemnìfyng Pary's wrongful use or
unauthorized dìsclosure of data; or (b) that arses out of (ì) any act or omissìon of
the Indemnìfyìng Part or ìts subcontractors or agents relatìng to the
Indemnìfyìng Party's performance or oblìgatìons under tms Agreement; (ii) any
act or omissìon of the Indemnìfyng Pary's customer(s) or End User(s); (ìii) the
bodìly ìnjur or death of any person, or the loss or disappearance of or damage to
the tangìble propert of any person, relatìng to the Indemnifyìng Par's
performance or oblìgatìons under ths Agreement; (ìv) the Indemnìfyng Part's
desìgn, testìng, manufactung, marketìng, promotìon, advertìsement,
dìstributìon, lease or sale of servìces and/or products to ìts customers, or such
customers' use, possessìon, or operatìon of those servìces and/or products; or (v)
personal ìnjur to or any unemployment compensatìon claìm by one or more of
the Indemnìfyng Pary's employees, notwìthstanding any protectìons the
Indemnfyìng Pary mìght otherwìse have under applìcable workers'
compensatìon or unemployment ìnsurance law, whìch protectìons the
Indemnifyìng Pary waìves, as to the Indemnfied Pary and other persons and
entities to be indemnified under thìs Sectìon 30.1 (other than applìcable
employee claìmant(s)), for puroses ofthìs Sectìon 30.1. "Reasonable costs and
attorneys' fees," as used in thìs Sectìon 30.1, ìncludes wìthout lìmìtatìon fees and
costs ìncured to ìnterpret or enforce thìs Sectìon 30.1. The Indemnfied Par
wìl provìde the Indemnifyng Pary wìth reasonably prompt wrtten notìce of any
Claìm. At the Indemnifyìng Pary's expense, the Indemnìfied Pary wìl provìde
reasonable cooperatìon to the Indemnìfyìng Pary ìn connectìon wìth the defense
or settlement of any Claim. The Indemnìfied Pary may, at ìts expense, employ
separate counsel to monitor and particìpate ìn the defense of any Claìm.
Notwìthstandìng anytmng to the contrar in thìs Sectìon 30.1, a Pary may not
seek ìndemnìficatìon wìth respect to any Claìm by that Pary's customer(s) or
End User(s), but rather shall be the Indemnfyng Party wìth respect to all Claìms
by ìts customer(s) and End User(s).
The Indemnìfyìng Pary agrees to release, ìndemnìfy, defend, and hold harless
the Indemnìtee Group and any trnrd-pary provìder or operator of facìlìtìes
involved ìn the provìsìon of products, servìces, UNs or facilìtìes under thìs
Agreement from all losses, claims, demands, damages, expenses, suìts, or other
actìons, or any lìabìlìty whatsoever, ìncludìng, but not limìted to, costs and
attorneys' fees, suffered, made, ìnstìtuted, or asserted by the Indemnfyng
Pary's End User Customer(s) arsìng from or relating to any products, servìces,
UNs or facìlìtìes provìded by or through the Indemnìfied Pary or such trnrd-
pary provìder or operator. The Indemnifyìng Pary furter agrees to release,
ìndemnfy, defend, and hold harless the Indemnìtee Group from all losses,
claìms, demands, damages, expenses, suìts, or other actìons, or any lìabìlty
whatsoever, ìncludìng, but not lìmìted to, costs and attorneys' fees, suffered,
made, ìnstìtuted, or asserted by any thìrd par agaìnst an IndemnìfiedPary
arisìng from or ìn any way related to actual or alleged defamatìon, lìbel, slander,
ìnterference wìth or mìsappropriatìon of proprietar or creatìve right, or any other
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ìnjur to any person or property arsìng out of content transmìtted by the
Indemnifyng Party's End User Customer(s).
30.2 Dìsclaìmer of Warantìes. EXCEPT FOR THOSE WARNTIES
EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS AGREEMENT OR REQUIRD BY
STATUTE, EACH PARTY ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AN ITS AFFILIATES
AN SUPPLilRS DISCLAIMS ALL W ARTilS AN DUTIES,
WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMLilD, AS TO THE SERVICES, PRODUCTS
AN AN OTHER INORMATION OR MATERILS EXCHANGED BY
THE P ARTilS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO AN IMPLilD
W ARTilS, DUTIES, OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNSS FOR A PARTICULAR PUROSE, REASONABLE CAR,
WORKANLIK EFFORT, RESULTS, LACK OF NEGLIGENCE, OR
ACCURCY OR COMPLETENESS OF RESPONSES. EXCEPT FOR THOSE
W ARTilS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS AGREEMENT OR
REQUID BY STATUTE, THERE IS NO WARY OF TITLE, QUilT
ENJOYMENT, QUilT POSSESSION, CORRSPONDENCE TO
DESCRITION, AUTHORITY, OR NON-INRIGEMENT WITH RESPECT
TO THE SERVICES, PRODUCTS, AN ANY OTHER INORMTION OR
MATERILS EXCHANGED BY THE PARTilS UNER THIS
AGREEMENT.
30.3 Limìtatìon of Lìabìlìty; Dìsclaìmer ofConseguentìal Damages; Exceptìons.
30.3.1 Except as provìded ìn Sectìon 30.3.3, each Pary's lìabìlìty to the other,
whether ìn contract, tort or otherwìse, shall be limìted to dìrect damages,
whìch shall not exceed the monthly charges, plus any related
costs/expenses the other Pary may recover, includìng those under Sectìon
22.1 above, and plus any costs/expenses for whìch the Partìes specìfy
reìmbursement ìn tms Agreement for the servìces or facìlìtìes for wmch
the claìm of liabìlìty arose. Except as provìded ìn Sectìon 30.3.3, each
Pary's lìabìlty to the other durng any Contract Year resultìng from any
and all causes wìl not exceed the total of any amounts charged to
ELTOPIA by CenturyLink under tms Agreement durng the Contract
Year ìn whìch such cause accrues or arses. For puroses of tms Sectìon
30.3.1, the first Contract Year commences on the first day tms Agreement
becomes effectìve, and each subsequent Contract Year commences on the
day following the annversar of that date.
30.3.2 EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 30.3.3, NEITHER PARTY
WILL BE LIALE TO THE OTHER PARTY FOR AN INIRCT,
INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, RELIANCE, OR SPECIA
DAMAGES SUFFERED BY SUCH OTHER PARTY (INCLUDING
WITHOUT LIMITATION DAMGES FOR HAR TO BUSINSS,
LOST REVENUS, LOST SAVINGS, OR LOST PROFITS SUFFERED
BY SUCH OTHER PARTY), REGARLESS OF THE FORM OF
ACTION, WHETHER IN CONTRCT, WARTY, STRICT
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LIAILITY, OR TORT, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION,
NEGLIGENCE OF AN KI WHTHER ACTIVE OR PASSIVE,
AN REGARLESS OF WHETHER THE PARTIES KNW OF THE
POSSilILITY THAT SUCH DAMAGES COULD RESULT.
Should eìther Party provìde advìce, make recommendations, or supply
other analysìs related to the services or facìlìties described in tils
Agreement, tms lìmìtatìon of lìabìlìty shall apply to the provìsìon of such
advìce, recommendatìons, and analysìs.
30.3.3 Section 30.3.1 and Sectìon 30.3.2 do not apply to the following:
30.3.3.1
30.3.3.2
30.3.3.3
30.3.3.4
30.3.3.5
30.3.3.6
30.3.3.7
30.3.3.8
30.3.3.9
30.3.3.10
30.3.3.11
30.3.3.12
30.3.3.12
Indemnìficatìon under Sectìon 30.1;
Breach of any oblìgatìon of confidentìalìty referenced ìn
tms Agreement;
Vìolatìon of securty procedures;
Any breach by ELTOPIA of any provìsion relatìng to
ELTOPIA's access to or use of Operatìons Support
Systems;
Faìlure to properly safeguard, or any mìsuse of, customer
data;
Statutory damages;
Liabìlìty for intentìonal or wìlful mìsconduct;
Liabìlìty arsìng under any applìcable CentuyLin Tarff;
Lìabilìty arsìng under any ìndemnfication provìsìon
contaìned ìn tms Agreement or any separate agreement or
tarff related to provisìoning of911Æ91 1 servìces;
Each Pary's oblìgatìons under Sectìon 27 oftms Aricle
III;
Sectìon 30.4.2 and/or Sectìon 30.4.3 ofths Arìcle III;
Sectìon 45 ofthìs Arìcle III, and/or
Lìabìlìty arsìng under any indemnficatìon provìsìon
contaìned ìn a separate agreement or tarff related to
provìsìonìng of Directory Lìstìng or Dìrectory Assìstance
Servìces.
30.4 Lìabìlìty of CentuyLìnk.
In addìtion to the general lìmitatìon of lìabìlìty ìn thìs Sectìon 32, the following
shall also lìmìt CenturyLìnk's lìabì1ìty under tms Agreement.
30.4.1 Inapplìcabìlìty of Tarff Lìabilìty. CentuLìnk's general lìabì1ìty, as
described ìn ìts local exchange or other Tarffs, does not extend to
ELTOPIA, ELTOPIA's End User Customer(s), supplìers, agents,
employees, or any other third partìes. Lìabìlìty of CentuLìnk to
ELTOPIA resultìng from any and all causes arsìng out of servìces,
facìlìtìes, or any other ìtems relatìng to thìs Agreement shall be governed
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by the lìabìlìty provìsìons contaìned ìn tms Agreement and no other
lìabilìty whatsoever shall attach to CentuLìnk. CenturLìnk shall not
be lìable for any loss, claìms, lìabìlìty or damages asserted by ELTOPIA,
ELTOPIA's End User Customer(s), supplìers, agents, employees, or any
other third parìes where ELTOPIA combines or commìngles such
components wìth those components provìded by CentuLìnk to
ELTOPIA.
30.4.2 ELTOPIA Tariffs or Contracts. ELTOPIA shall, ìn ìts Tarffs or other.
contracts .for servìces provìded to ìts End User Customers usìng products,
servìces, facìlìtìes obtaìned from CentuLìnk, provìde that ìn no case
shall CentuLink be lìable for any ìndirect, incìdental, relìance, specìal,
consequentìal or punitìve damages, ìncludìng,but not lìmited to,
economìc loss or lost busìness or profits, whether foreseeable or not, and
regardless of notìficatìon by ELTOPIA, ELTOPIA's End User
Customer(s), supplìers, agents, employees, or any other tmrd parìes of
the possìbìlìty of such damages, and ELTOPIA shall indemnìfy, defend
and hold harless CenturLìnk and CentuLink's Indemnìtee Group
from any and all claìms, demands, causes of actìon and lìabìlìtìes by or to,
and based on any reason whatsoever, ELTOPIA, ELTOPIA's End User
Customer(s), supplìers, agents, employees, or any other tmrd parìes.
Nothìng ìn thìs Agreement shall be deemed to create a thìrd-pary
beneficìary relatìonsmp between CentuyLìnk and any of ELTOPIA's
End User Customers, supplìers, agents, employees, or any other thrd
parìes.
30.4.3 No Lìabilìtv for Errors. CenturLìnk ìs not lìable for mìstakes ìn
CentuLìnk's sìgnalìng networks (ìncludìng but not lìmìted to sìgnalìng
lìnks and Sìgnaling Transfer Points (STPs) and call-related databases
(ìncluding but not lìmìted to the Lìne Informatìon Database (LIDB), Toll
Free Callng database, Local Number Portabìlìty database, Advanced
Intellgent Network databases, Callng Name database (CNAM),
911/E911 databases, and OS/DA databases). ELTOPIA shall ìndemnfy,
defend and hold harless CenturyLìnk and CenturLìnk's Indemntee
Group from any and all claìms, demands, causes of actìon and lìabìlìties
whatsoever, ìncludìng costs, expenses and reasonable attorneys' fees
incured on account thereof, by or to ELTOPIA's End User Customer(s),
supplìers, agents, employees, or any other tmrd paries based on any
reason whatsoever. For puroses of thìs Sectìon 30.4.3, mìstakes shall
not ìnclude matters arsìng exclusìvely out of the wìlful mìsconduct of
CentuLìnk or ìts employees or agents.
31.0 NETWORK MANAGEMENT
33.1 Cooperatìon. The Parìes wìl work cooperatìvely ìn a commercìally reasonable
maner to ìnstall and maìntaìn a relìable network. ELTOPIA and CenturLìnk
wìl exchange appropriate ìnformatìon (e.g., network ìnformatìon, maintenance
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contact numbers, escalatìon procedures, and ìnformatìon requìred to comply WÌth
requìrements of law enforcement and natìonal securty agencìes) to acmeve this
desìred relìabìlty. In additìon, the Parìes wìl work cooperatìvely ìn a
commercially reasonable maner to apply sound network management princìples
to allevìate or to prevent traffic congestìon and to mìnìmìze fraud assocìated wìth
third number bìled calls, callng card calls, and other servìces related to thìs
Agreement.
31.2 Responsìbìlìty for Followìng Standards. ELTOPIA recognizes its responsìbìlty
to follow the standards that may be agreed to between the Parìes and to employ
characteristìcs and methods of operatìon that wìl not ìnterfere wìth or ìmpair the
servìce, network or facìltìes of CenturLìnk or any tmrd parìes connected wìth
or ìnvolved dìrectly ìn the network or facìlìtìes of CenturLìnk.
31.3 Interference or Impairment. The characteristìcs and methods of operatìon of any
circuits, facìlìtìes or equìpment of ELTOPIA connected to CentuLin's
network shall not interfere wìth or ìmpaìr servìce over any cìrcuìts, facìlitìes or
equìpment of CenturLink, ìts affilìated compares, or ìts connecting and
concurng carrers ìnvolved ìn ìts servìces, cause damage to ìts plant, vìolate any
applìcable law or regulatìon regardìng the ìnvasìon of privacy of any
communìcatìons cared over CenturyLìnk's facìlìtìes or create hazards to the
employees of CentuLìnk or to the publìc (wìth the foregoing hereìnafier beìng
collectìvely referred to as an "Impaìrment of Servìce").
If ELTOPIA causes an Impairment ìn Servìce, CentuLìnk shall promptly notìfy
ELTOPIA of the natue and locatìon of the problem and that, unless promptly
rectìfied, a temporary dìscontìnuance of the use of any circuìt, facìlity or
equìpment may be requìred. The Parìes agree to work together to attempt to
promptly resolve the Impairment of Servìce. If ELTOPIA ìs unable to promptly
remedy the Impaìrment of Servìce, then CenturLìnk may, at ìts optìon,
temporarly dìscontìnue the use of the affected cìrcuìt, facìlìty or equìpment untìl
the Impaìrment of Servìce ìs remedìed.
31.4 Outage Repaìr Standard. In the event of an outage or trouble ìn any servìce beìng
provìded by CenturyLìnk hereunder, ELTOPIA wìl follow CenturyLink's
standard procedures for ìsolatìng and clearing the outage or trouble.
32.0 NON-EXCLUSIVE REMEDIES
Except as otherwìse expressly provìded in tms Agreement, each of the remedies provìded
under thìs Agreement ìs cumulatìve and ìs ìn addìtìon to any other remedìes that may be
avaìlable under thìs Agreement or at law or ìn equìty.
33.0 NOTICE OF NETWORK CHANGES
If a Pary makes a change ìn the ìnformatìon necessar for the transmìssion and routing
of servìces usìng that Party's facìlìtìes or network, or any other change ìn ìts facìlìtìes or
network that wìl materially affect the ìnteroperabìlìty of ìts facìlìtìes or network wìth the
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other Pary's facìltìes or network, the Pary makng the change shall publìsh notìce ofthe
change as requìred by 47 C.F.R. §§ 51.325 through 51. 335.
34.0 NOTICES
34.1 Except as otherwìse expressly provìded ìn thìs Agreement, any notìce gìven by
one Pary to the other Party under thìs Agreement shall be in wrtìng and shall be
deemed to have been receìved as follows: (a) on the date of servìce ìf served
personally; (b) on the date thee (3) Busìness Days after maìlìng ìf delivered by
Fìrst Class U. S. maìl, postage prepaìd; and (c l on the date stated on the receìpt ìf
delivered by certified U.S. maìl, regìstered U.S. maìl, ovemìght courer or
express delìvery servìce with next Business Day delivery. Any notìce shall be
delivered using one of the alternatìves ìdentìfied above and shall be directed to
the applicable street or post office box address ìndìcated in Sectìon 34.2 below or
such address as the Pary to be notìfied has desìgnated by gìvìng notice ìn
complìance wìth thìs Sectìon. Although E-maìl wil not be used to provìde
notìce, the Parìes shall provìde theìr E-mail addresses below to facìlìtate
ìnformal communìcatìons.
34.2 Notìces conveyed pursuant to Sectìon 34.1 above shall be delìvered to the
followìng addresses of the Parìes:
To ELTOPIA:
Attentìon: Wìl Lee MacHugh, Vìce Presìdent
P.O. Box 240
Eltopìa, Washìngton 99330
Telephone Number: [phone]
Internet Address: wmachughtêeltopìa.com
To CenturLìnk:
Attentìon: Director-Contract Management
5454 W. llOth Street
Maìlstop - KSOPKJ0201
Overland Park, KS 66211
Telephone Number: [phone]
or to such other address as eìther Pary shall desìgnate by proper notìce.
35.0 ORDERING
35.1 Ordering and Electronìc Intedace. A web-based ìnterface ìs curently being used
for ELTOPIA to order non-access servìces. Unless otherwìse provìded ìn the
Arìcles of tms Agreement, ELTOPIA shall use CentuLìnk's web-based
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ìnterface to submit orders and requests for maintenance and repaìr of servces,
and to engage ìn other pre-ordering, ordering, provìsìoning and dìspute
transactìons. Unless otherwìse provìded ìn the Arìcles of ths Agreement, no
manual, facsìmìle or emaìl ìnterfaces may be used to submìt any non-access order
unless first confirmed wìth and agreed upon by CenturLìnk's CLEC Servìce
Group personneL. If CentuLìnk later deploys any enhanced electronìc
capabìlty for **CMRS to perform a pre-ordering, ordering, provìsìoning,
maìntenance or repaìr transactìon for a servìce offered by CentuLink,
CentuLin wìll notìfy **CMRS of such avaìlabìlity and **CMRS shall use
such processes as CenturLìnk has made avaìlable for performìng such
transactìon(s) to the extent practìcable and the use of any other ìnterface or
process wìl be dìscontìnued.
35.2 The Paries agree that orders for servìces under thìs Agreement will not be
submìtted or accepted untìl the latter of (a) the completìon of all account set up
actìvìtìes ìncludìng but not lìmìted to the submìssìon of the CLEC Profie
requìred by Sectìon 13, the submìssìon of applìcable forecasts, the completìon of
joìnt plannìng meetìngs, and the creatìon of bìling codes for ELTOPIA; or (b)
sìxty (60) Calendar Days after the Effectìve Date of this Agreement; unless the
Parìes mutually agree upon a dìfferent date based on the specìfic cìrcumstances
ofthe Parìes' relationsmp.
35.3 Untìl CentuLìnk ìmplements ìts planed fully automated ordering and
provìsìoning system, the standard provìsìonìng intervals wìl be confirmed for
a maxìmum number of fifty (50) ELTOPIA orders (LSR, DSR, Portìng) per day.
ELTOPIA understands that orders exceedìng 50 per day may be subject to project
management and will be worked on a best effort basìs.
36.0 POINTS OF CONTACT FOR ELTOPIA CUSTOMERS
36.1 ELTOPIA shall be the primar poìnt of contact for ELTOPIA customers.
ELTOPIA shall establìsh telephone numbers and maìlìng addresses at which
ELTOPIA's End User Customers may communìcate wìth ELTOPIA and shall
advìse ELTOPIA End User Customers of these telephone numbers and maìlìng
addresses.
36.2 Except as otherwìse agreed to by CentuLìnk, CenturLìnk shall have no
oblìgatìon, and may declìne, to accept a communcatìon from a ELTOPIA
customer, ìncluding but not lìmìted to issues wìth number ports to ELTOPIA.
37.0 PUBLICITY AND USE OF TRADEMAKS
37.1 Nothìng ìn thìs Agreement shall grant, suggest, or ìmply any authority for one
Pary to use the name, trademarks, servìce marks, or trade names of the other for
any purose whatsoever. A Pary, ìts Affilìates, and theìr respectìve contractors
and agents, shall not use the other Party's trademarks, servìce marks, logos or
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other proprietar trade dress, ìn connectìon wìth the sale of products or servìces,
or ìn any advertìsìng, press releases, publìcìty matters or other promotìonal
materials, unless the other Pary has gìven ìts express wrtten consent for such
use, whìch consent the other Pary may grant or wìthold in ìts sole dìscretìon.
37.2 Any news release, publìc anouncement, advertìsìng, or any form of publìcìty
pertaìning to thìs Agreement, provìsìon of servìces, UNs or facìlìtìes pursuant to
ìt, or assocìatìon of the Partìes wìth respect to provìsìon of the servìces described
ìn thìs Agreement shall be subject to prior wrtten approval of both CenturLìnk
and ELTOPIA.
37.3 Any vìolatìon of this Sectìon 37 shall be consìdered a Default ofthìs Agreement
under Sectìon 2.6.
38.0 REFERENCES
38.1 All references to Arìcles, Sectìons, Appendìces and Tables and the lìke shall be
deemed to be references to Arìcles, Sectìons, Appendìces and Tables of thìs
Agreement unless the context shall otherwìse requìre.
38.2 Except as otherwìse specified, references wìtmn an Arìcle ofthìs Agreement to a
Sectìon, Appendix or Table refer to a Sectìon, Appendìx or Table wìthn or a par
of that same Arìcle.
38.3 Unless the context shall otherwìse requìre, any reference ìn tms Agreement to a
statute, regulatìon, rule, Tarff, technical publìcatìon, guide (ìncludìng
CenturLìnk or thìrd-party guides, practìces or handbooks), or publìcatìon of
telecommunìcatìons ìndustr admìnistratìve or techncal standards ìs deemed to
be a reference to the most recent versìon or edìtìon (ìncludìng any amendments,
supplements, addenda or successor) of that statute, regulatìon, rule, Tarff,
technical publìcatìon, guìde or publìcatìon of the telecommunìcatìons ìndustr
admìnistratìve or technìcal standards that ìs ìn effect.
39.0 RELATIONSHIP OF THE PARTIES
39.1 The relatìonship of the Parìes under thìs Agreement shall be that of independent
contractors and nothìng herein shall be construed as creatìng any other
relatìonshìp between the Parìes.
39.2 Nothing contaìned ìn tms Agreement shall make eìther Pary the employee of the
other, create a parersmp, joint ventue, or other sìmilar relatìonsmp between the
Parìes, or grant to eìther Pary a lìcense, francmse, dìstrbutorsmp or simìlar
ìnterest.
39.3 Except for provìsìons hereìn expressly authorizìng a Pary to act for another
Pary, nothìng ìn thìs Agreement shall constìtute a Pary as a legal representatìve
or Agent of the other Pary, nor shall a Party have the right or authority to
assume, create or ìncur any lìabìlìty or any oblìgatìon of any kìnd, express or
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implìed, agaìnst, ìn the name or on behalf of the other Pary unless otherwìse
expressly permìtted by such other Pary ìn writing, whìch permìssion may be
granted or wìtheld by the other Pary ìn ìts sole dìscretìon.
39.4 Each Pary shall have sole authority and responsibìlìty to mre, fire, compensate,
supervìse, and otherwìse control ìts employees, Agents and contractors. Each
Pary shall be solely responsìble for payment of any Socìal Security or other
taxes that ìt ìs requìred by Applìcable Law to pay ìn conjunctìon wìth ìts
employees, Agents and contractors, and for wìthholdìng and remittìng to the
applìcable taxing authoritìes any taxes thatìt is requìred by Applìcable Law to
collect from ìts employees, ìncludìng but not lìmìted to Socìal Securty,
unemployment, workers' compensatìon, dìsabìlìty insurance, and federal and
state wìthholdìng.
39.5 Except as provìded by Sectìon 42, the persons provìded by each Pary to perform
ìts oblìgatìons hereunder shall be solely that Party's employees and shall be
under the sole and exclusive directìon and control of that Pary. They shall not
be consìdered employees of the other Pary for any purose.
39.6 Except as otherwìse expressly provìded in thìs Agreement, no Pary undertakes to
perform any oblìgatìon of the other Pary, whether regulatory or contractual, or to
assume any responsìbìlity for the management of the other Pary's busìness.
39.7 The relatìonsmp of the Parìes under thìs Agreement ìs a non-exclusìve
relatìonsmp.
39.8 Each Pary shall indemnìfy the other for any loss, damage, lìabìlìty, claìm,
demand, or penalty that may be sustaìned by reason of its faìlure to comply wìth
thìs provisìon.
40.0 RESERVATION OF RIGHTS
Notwìthstandìng anytmng to the contrar ìn thìs Agreement, neither Party waìves, and
each Pary hereby expressly reseres, ìts rights: (a) to appeal or otherwìse seek the
reversal of and changes in any arbìtratìon decisìon associated wìth tms Agreement; (b) to
challenge the lawfulness of thìs Agreement and any provìsìon of tms Agreement; (c) to
seek changes ìn thìs Agreement (ìncludìng, but not lìmìted to, changes ìn rates, charges
and the services that must be offered) through changes ìn Applìcable Law; and, (d) to
challenge the lawfulness and propriety of, and to seek to change, any Applìcable Law,
ìncludìng, but not lìmited to any rule, regulatìon, order or decìsìon of the Commìssìon,
the FCC, or a cour of applìcable jursdìctìon. Nothìng ìn thìs Agreement shall be
deemed to lìmìt or prejudìce any posìtìon a Pary has taken or may take before the
Commissìon, the FCC, any other state or federal regulatory or legìslatìve bodìes, cours
of applìcable jurisdìctìon, or ìndustr fora. The provìsìons of thìs Sectìon shall surìve
the expìratìon, cancellatìon or termìnatìon ofthìs Agreement.
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41.0 STANDAR PRACTICES
41.1 The Parìes acknowledge that CentuLìnk shall be adoptìng some ìndustr
standard practìces and/or establìshìng ìts own standard practìces wìth regard to
various requìrements hereunder applìcable for the ELTOPIA ìndustr whìch may
be added or ìncorporated by reference ìn the CenturLink Servìce Guide.
ELTOPIA agrees that CentuLink may ìmplement such practìces to satìsfy any
CenturLìnk oblìgatìons under thìs Agreement.
41.2 All changes to standard practìces wìll be posted on the CentuLìnk Website
prior to ìmplementation, with emaìl notìficatìon of such postings. Emaìl
notìficatìons dìrectìng ELTOPIA to CentuLìnk's Websìte wìl contaìn, at a
mìnimum, the subject of the change posted to the Websìte and a Websìte lìnk to
the postìng. Postìng will ìnclude CenturLìnk personnel who may be contacted
by ELTOPIA to provìde clarficatìon of the scope of the change and tìmelìne for
ìmplementatìon.
42.0 SUBCONTRACTORS
A Pary may use a contractor of the Pary (ìncludìng, but not lìmìted to, an Affilìate of the
Pary) to perform the Pary's oblìgatìons under tms Agreement; provìded, that a Pary's
use of a contractor shall not release the Pary from any duty or lìabìlty to fulfill the
Pary's oblìgatìons under thìs Agreement.
43.0 SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS - BINDING EFFECT
Tms Agreement shall be bindìng on and ìnure to the benefit of the Parìes and theìr
respectìve legal successors and permìtted assìgns.
44.0 SURVIVAL
The rights, lìabìlìtìes and oblìgatìons of a Party for acts or omìssìons occurg prior to
the expìratìon, cancellatìon or termìnation of thìs Agreement, the rights, lìabìlitìes and
obligatìons of a Party under any provìsìon of thìs Agreement regarding confidentìal
ìnformatìon (includìng but not lìmìted to, Sectìon 14, limìtatìon or exclusìon of lìabìlìty,
ìndemnficatìon or defense (ìncludìng, but not lìmited to, Sectìon 30), and the rights,
lìabilìtìes and oblìgatìons of a Pary under any provìsìon of tms Agreement whìch by ìts
terms or nature ìs ìntended to contìnue beyond or to be performed after the expiration,
cancellatìon or termnatìon of thìs Agreement, shall surìve the expìratìon, cancellatìon
or termìnatìon oftms Agreement.
45.0 TAXS
Any State or local excìse, sales, or use taxes (defined ìn Sectìon 45.1 but excludìng any
taxes levìed on ìncome) and fees/regulatory surcharges (defined ìn Sectìon 45.2) resultìng
from the performance of tms Agreement shall be borne by the Pary upon whìch the
oblìgatìon for payment ìs ìmposed under Applìcable Law, even ìfthe oblìgatìon to collect
and remìt same ìs placed upon the other Pary. The collectìng Party shall charge and
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collect from the oblìgated Pary, and the oblìgated Pary agrees to pay to the collectìng
Pary, all applìcable taxes, or fees/regulatory surcharges, except to the extent that the
obligated Pary notìfies the collectìng Pary and provìdes to the collectìng Pary
appropriate documentatìon as the collectìng Pary reasonably requìres that qualìfies the
oblìgated Pary for a full or partìal exemptìon. Any such taxes shall be shown as separate
ìtems on applìcable bìling documents between the Parìes. The oblìgated Pary may
contest the same ìn good faìth, at ìts own expense, and shall be entìtled to the benefit of
any refud or recovery, provìded that such Pary shall not permìt any lìen to exìst on any
asset of the other Pary by reason of the contest. The collectìng Pary shall cooperate ìn
any such contest by the other Pary. The other Par wìl ìndemnìfy the collecting Pary
from any sales or use taxes that may be subsequently levìed on payments by the other
Pary to the collectìng Pary.
Notwìthstandìng anythìng to the contrar contaìned herein, ELTOPIA ìs responsìble for
fushìng tax exempt status ìnformatìon to CenturLìnk at the tìme of the executìon of
the Agreement. ELTOPIA ìs also responsìble for fuìsmng any updates or changes in ìts
tax exempt status to CenturLink durng the Inìtìal Term of thìs Agreement and any
Follow-on Terms and/or extensìons thereof. In addìtìon, ELTOPIA ìs responsìble for
submìttìng and/or filìng tax exempt status ìnformatìon to the appropriate regulatory,
munìcìpalìty, local governng, and/or legìslatìve body. It ìs expressly understood and
agreed that ELTOPIA's representatìons to CenturLìnk concernìng the status of
ELTOPIA's claìmed tax exempt status, ìf any, and ìts ìmpact on thìs Sectìon 45 are
subject to the ìndemnìficatìon provìsìons of Sectìon 30, whìch, for purposes of thìs
Sectìon, serve to ìndemnìfy CenturLìnk.
45.1 Tax. A tax ìs defined as a charge wmch ìs statutorily ìmposed by the
federal, State or local jursdictìon and ìs eìther (a) ìmposed on the seller
wìth the seller havìng the right or responsìbìlìty to pass the chargee s) on
to the purchaser and the seller ìs responsìble for remìttìng the charge(s) to
the federal, State or local jursdìctìon or (b) ìmposed on the purchaser
wìth the seller havìng an oblìgatìon to collect the charge(s) from the
purchaser and remìt the chargee s) to the federal, State or local
jursdìctìon.
Taxes shall ìnclude but not be lìmìted to: federal excìse tax, State/local
sales and use tax, State/local utìlìty user tax, State/local
telecommunìcatìon excìse tax, State/local gross receìpts tax, and local
school taxes. Taxes shall not ìnclude ìncome, ìncome-Iìke, gross receìpts
on the revenue of a CenturLìnk, or property taxes. Taxes shall not
ìnclude payroll wìthholdìng taxes unless specìfically requìred by statute or
ordinance.
45.2 Fees/Regulatory Surcharges. A fee/regulatory surcharge ìs defined as a
charge ìmposed by a regulatory authority, other agency, or resultìng from
a contractual oblìgatìon, ìn wmch the seller ìs responsìble or requìred to
1"1"11.:::.,.t tliø fØØ!COll,.,.hfJ'lnø .fn"n thØ '1l1..,."hl"Cl'O'l''n.A thø C'ol1ø.. -Ie' ..ø.ei",n""C'..hl.oVV.L"',,"''' ".L.av .JV"..1i ~LuV.l.LLWõ\. ...Lvi..l.l ..i""yu.iv.l.Iuiivi u.i\, w'.l\. o-V.lJ.V.I 1.0 LVOPV.lJ.OJ.UJ.V
for remìttìng the charge to the regulatory authority, other agency, or
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contractìng pary. Fees/regulatory surcharges shall ìnclude but not be
lìmìted to E-911/911, other Nll, franchise fees, and Commìssìon
surcharges.
46.0 TBD PRICES
46.1 Certain provìsìons ìn thìs Agreement and ìts Appendìces and/or Attachments may
sìirply refer to pricìng princìples or ìdentìfy a rate as "to be determined" or
"TBD." If a provìsìon references a specìfic rate element in an Appendix or
Attachment and there are no correspondìng prices or rates ìn such Appendìx or
Attachment, such price shall be considered "To Be Determìned" (TBD). Wìth
respect to all TBD prices, prior to ELTOPIA ordering any such TBD ìtem, the
Paries shall meet and confer to establìsh a price.
46.2 In the event the Parìes are unable to agree upon a price for a TBD ìtem, the
tarffed rate for the most analogous tarffed product or servìce shall be used as the
ìnterim price. Eìther Par may then invoke the dispute resolutìon process set
forth ìn Arìcle III to resolve dìsputes regardìng TBD pricìng or the ìnterim price,
provìded that such dìspute resolutìon process ìs ìnvoked no later than one (1) year
after the applìcable ìnterim price ìs establìshed. Any ìnterim price wìl be subject
to a tre-up, not to exceed one (1) year, once a permanent price ìs establìshed.
47.0 TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES
Notwìthstandìng any other provìsìon of thìs Agreement, CenturyLìnk shall have the right
to deploy, upgrade, mìgrate and maìntaìn ìts network at ìts dìscretìon. Notmng ìn ths
Agreement shall lìmìt CenturLìnk's abìlity to modìfy ìts network through the
ìncorporation of new equìpment or softare or otherwìse. ELTOPIA shall be solely
responsìble for the cost and actìvìtìes assocìated wìth accommodating such changes ìn ìts
own network.
48.0 TERRTORY
48.1 Thìs Agreement applìes to the terrtory ìn wmch CentuyLink operates as an
Incumbent Local Exchange Carer ("ILEC") ìn the State of Idaho. CenturyLìnk
shall be oblìgated to provìde servìces under thìs Agreement only wìthìn this
terrtory.
48.2 Notwìthstandìng any other provision of this Agreement, CentuLìnk may
termìnate thìs Agreement as to a specìfic operatìng terrtory or portìon thereof
pursuant to Sectìon 2.7 ofthìs Arìcle.
49.0 THIRD-PARTY BENEFICIARES
Except as expressly set forth ìn thìs Agreement, thìs Agreement ìs for the sole benefit of
the Paries and theìr permìtted assìgns, and notmng hereìn shall create or be constred to
provìde any tmrd-persons (ìncludìng, but not limited to, customers or contractors of a
Pary) wìth any rights (ìncludìng, but not lìmìted to, any tmrd-party beneficìar rights)
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hereunder. Except as expressly set forth ìn thìs Agreement, a Pary shall have no lìabilìty
under thìs Agreement to the customers of the other Pary or to any other third person.
50.0 UNAUTHORIZED CHANGES
The terms of Sectìon 1 of Arìcle VI apply to the resolutìon of any unauthorized changes
regardìng Number Portabìlìty.
51.0 USE OF SERVICE
Each Party shall make commercìally reasonable efforts to ensure that ìts End User
Customers comply with the provìsìons of thìs Agreement (ìncludìng, but not lìmited to
the provìsìons of applìcable Tariffs) applìcable to the use of services purchased by ìt
under thìs Agreement.
52.0 WAIVER
A failure or delay of eìther Pary to enforce any of the provìsions of tms Agreement, or
any right or remedy avaìlable under tms Agreement or at law or ìn equìty, or to requìre
performance of any of the provìsìons of thìs Agreement, or to exercìse any optìon whìch
ìs provìded under thìs Agreement, shall in no way be constred to be a waìver of such
provìsìons, rights, remedies or optìons, and the same shall continue ìn full force and
effect.
53.0 WITHDRAWAL OF SERVICES
Notwìthstandìng anytmng contaìned ìn tils Agreement, except as otherwìse requìred by
Applìcable Law, CenturLìnk may termìnate ìts offering and/or provìsìon of any
paricular servìce offering covered by thìs Agreement upon at least thìrty (30) calendar
days prior wrtten notìce to ELTOPIA.
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ARTICLE IV: INTERCONNECTION AND TRASPORT AND TERMNATION OF
TRAFFIC
1.0 SERVICES COVERED BY THIS ARTICLE
1.1 To the extent required by Applìcable Law and subject to the terms and condìtìons
of tils Agreement, ELTOPIA wìll ìnterconnect ìts network wìth CenturLìnk's
network for the transmissìon and routing of Telephone Exchange Servìce and
Exchange Access. Upon ELTOPIA's request, CentuLìnk wìl provide
Interconnectìon at any technìcally feasìble poìnt wìthìn CenturLìnk's network ìn
conformìty wìth tms Arìcle iv and Applìcable Law.
1.1.1 Tms Arìcle governs the provìsìon of ìnternetwork facilìtìes (ì.e., physìcal
connectìon servìces and facìlìtìes), by CenturLìnk to ELTOPIA or by
ELTOPIA to CenturLìnk and the transport and termìnatìon and bìlìng of
Local Traffc between CenturLink and ELTOPIA.
2.0 NETWORK INTERCONNECTION METHODS
2.1 Introductìon
2.1.1 Tms Sectìon 2 of Arìcle IV sets fort the ters and condìtìons that
Network Interconnectìon Methods (NIMs) are provided between
CenturLìnk and ELTOPIA. Network Interconnectìon Methods desìgnates
facilìtìes establìshed between the Paries' Networks. Additìonally, ths
Sectìon 2 describes the physical archìtecture for Interconnectìon of the
Parìes' facìlìtìes and equìpment for the transmìssìon and routìng of Local
Traffic and Exchange Access traffic between the respectìve End Users of
the Parìes; provìded, however, Interconnectìon may not be used solely for
the purose of origìnatìng a Pary's own ìnterexchange traffic.
2.1.2 Network Interconnectìon Methods (Ns) ìnclude, but are not lìmìted to,
Leased Facìlìtìes Interconnectìon and Fìber Meet Interconnectìon, as
defined ìn Sectìon 2.3 of ths Arìcle, and other methods as mutually
agreed to by the Parìes.
2.1.2.1 Truìng requìrements assocìated wìth Interconnectìon are
contaìned ìn Sectìon 3 of thìs Arìc1e.
2.1.3 CenturyLìnk shall provìde Interconnectìon for ELTOPIA's facìlìtìes and
equìpment for the transmìssìon and routìng of Telephone Exchange
Servìce and Exchange Access, at a level of qualìty equal to that whìch
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CenturLink provìdes ìtself, a subsidiar, an affilìate, or any other pary to
whìch CenturLìnk provìdes Interconnectìon and on rates, terms and
condìtions that are just, reasonable and non-discriminatory.
2.2 Physìcal Archìtectue
2.2.1 CentuLìnk's network ìncludes but ìs not lìmìted to End Offce swìtches
that serve IntraLATA, InterLATA, Local, and EAS traffic. CenturyLìnk's
network archìtectue ìn any gìven local exchange area and/or LATA can
var markedly from another local exchange area/LATA. Using one or
more of the NIs hereìn, the Parìes wìl agree to a physìcal archìtecture
plan for a specìfic Exchange Area. The physìcal archìtecture plan wìl be
dìscussed durng the Introductory Call as set forth ìn CenturLin's
Servìce Guide and any necessary subsequent network ìnterconnection calls
between the Parìes. ELTOPIA and CenturyLìnk agree to Interconnect
theìr networks through exìstìng and/or new Interconnection facìlìtìes
between ELTOPIA swìtch(es) and CentuLink's End Office(s) and/or
tandems. The physìcal architecture plan wìl be ìn accordance wìth
Forecastìng and Planng requìrements ìn Sectìon 3.5 of tms Arìcle and,
at a mìnìmum, include the locatìon of ELTOPIA's swìtch(es) and
CenturyLìnk End Offce swìtch(es) to be ìnterconnected, the facìlìtìes that
wìl connect the two networks, the tìmelìnes for completìon of all major
tasks, and whìch Pary wìl provìde (be financìally responsìble for) the
Interconnectìon facìlitìes.
2.2.2 Poìnts of Interconnectìon (POls): A Point of Interconnection (POI) ìs a
poìnt ìn the network where the Paries delìver Local Traffic to each other,
and also serves as a demarcatìon poìnt between the facìlìtìes that each
Party ìs responsìble to provìde. Requìrements for a Local POI are set fort
ìn Section 3.3.2 of this Arìcle. In some cases, multiple POI(s) may be
necessary to provìde the best technìcal ìmplementatìon of Interconnectìon
requìrements to each End Office wìtmn a CenturyLìnk company's servìce
area.
2.2.3 The Parìes agree to meet as often as necessar to negotiate the locatìon and
NIM of new POls except that the Parìes agree that POls requìred by the
terms of Sectìon 3.2.2 wìl be establìshed. Criteria to be used ìn
determinìng POls ìnclude exìstìng facìlity capacìty, locatìon of exìstìng
POls, traffic volumes, relatìve costs, futue capacìty needs, etc. Agreement
to the locatìon of POls wìl be based on the network archìtecture existìng
at the tìme the POI(s) ìs/are negotìated. In the event eìther Pary makes
subsequent changes to ìts network arcmtecture, ìncludìng but not limited
to trng changes or addìng new swìtches, then the Parìes wìl negotìate
new POls ìf requìred.
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2.2.4 Each Party ìs responsìble for the facìlìtìes to ìts sìde of the POI(s) and may
utìlize any method of Interconnectìon described in this Sectìon 2. Each
Pary ìs responsìble for the appropriate sìzing, operation, maìntenance and
cost ofthe transport facìlìty to the POI(s).
2.2.5 Eìther Pary, must provìde tmrty (30) days wrtten notìce of any changes to
the physìcal arcmtectue plan.
2.2.6 Each Pary ìs solely responsìble for the facìlìtìes that car OS/DA, 911 or
mass callìng for theìr respectìve End Users.
2.2.7 Techncal Interfaces
2.2.7.1 Electrcal handoffs at the POI(s) wil be DSI or DS3 as mutually
agreed to by the parties. When a DS3 handoff ìs agreed to by the
Parìes, each Pary wìl provìde all requìred multìplexìng at theìr
respectìve end.
2.2.7.2 Where avaìlable and upon the request of the other Pary, each Pary
shall cooperate to ensure that ìts tr groups are configued
utìlìzìng the B8ZS Extended Superframe protocol for 64 kbps
Clear Chanel Capabìlìty (64CCC) transmìssìon to allow for ISDN
ìnteroperabìlìty between the Parìes' respectìve networks. Tru
groups configured for 64CCC and carng Cìrcuit Swìtched Data
(CSD) ISDN calls shall car the appropriate Trunk Type Modìfier
ìn the CLCI-Message code. Tru groups configued for 64CCC
and not used to car CSD ISDN calls shall car a different
appropriate Trunk Type Modìfier in the CLCI-Message code.
2.3 Methods of Interconnectìon
2.3.1 Leased Facìlty Interconnectìon ("LFI")
2.3.1.1 Where facìlìtìes exìst, eìther Pary may lease facilìtìes from the
other Pary pursuant to applìcable tarff, may lease facìlties from a
tmrd pary or may constrct or otherwìse self-provìsìon facìlìtìes.
2.3.2 Fìber Meet Interconnectìon
2.3.2.1 Fìber Meet Interconnectìon between CenturLìnk and ELTOPIA
can occur at any mutually agreeable, economically and technìcally
feasìble poìnt(s) between a CentuLìnk End Office and
ELTOPIA's premìses wìtmn the local callng area. ELTOPIA shall
request a Fìber Meet Poìnt of Interconnectìon by submìttìng a BFR
for the same.
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2.3.2.2 Where the Parìes ìnterconnect theìr networks pursuant to a Fìber
Meet, the Parìes shall joìntly engìneer and operate tils
Interconnectìon as a Synchronous Optìcal NETwork (SONET) ring
or sìngle poìnt-to-poìnt lìnear SONET system. Admìnistratìve
control of the SONET system shall be mutually agreed upon by the
Parìes. Only Interconnectìon trus or trs used to provìde
ancillar servìces as described ìn Sectìon 3 of tms Arìcle shall be
provìsìoned over tils facìlty.
2.3.2.3 Neìther Pary wìl be gìven the IP address or allowed to access the
Data Communìcatìons Chanel (DCC) of the other Pary's Fìber
Optìc Terinal (FOT). The Fìber Meet wìl be desìgned so that
each Party may, as far as ìs technìcally feasìble, ìndependently
select the transmìssìon, multìplexìng, and fiber terminating
equìpment to be used on ìts sìde of the POI(s). The Parìes wìl
work cooperatìvely to acileve equipment and vendor compatìbìlty
of the FOT equipment. Requìrements for such Interconnectìon
specificatìons wil be defined in joìnt engìneering planìng
sessìons between the Parìes. The Parìes may share the ìnvestment
of the fiber as mutually agreed. The Parìes wìl use good faìth
efforts to develop and agree on these facilìtyaraígements wìtmn
nìnety (90) days of the determnatìon by the Parìes that such
specìficatìons shall be ìmplemented, and ìn any case, prior to the
establìshment of any Fìber Meet arangements between them.
2.3.2.4 Fìber Meet desìgn optìons ìnclude, but are not limìted to, the
followìng:
2.3.2.4.1 Desìgn One: ELTOPIA's fiber cable (four, or some
ìntegral multìple thereof, fibers) and CenturLìnk's fiber
cable (four, or some integral multìple thereof, fibers) are
connected at an economìcally and technìcally feasible poìnt
between the ELTOPIA and CenturyLìnk locatìons. Tils
Interconnectìon point would be at a mutually agreeable
locatìon.
2.3.2.4.2 Desìgn Two: ELTOPIA wìl provide fiber cable to the
last entrance (or CentuLìnk desìgnated) manole at the
CentuLìnk End Office swìtch. CentuLìnk shall make
all necessary preparatìons to receìve and to allow and
enable ELTOPIA to delìver fiber optìc facìlìtìes ìnto that
manole. ELTOPIA wìl provìde a sufficìent lengt of
Optìcal Fìre Resìstant (OFR) cable for CentuLìnk to pull
the fiber cable through the CentuLìnk cable vault and
termìnate on the CentuLìnk fiber dìstributìon frame
(PDP) ìn CentuLìnk's office. ELTOPIA shall delìver and
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maìntaìn such strands wholly at ìts own expense up to the
POI. CentuLìnk shall take the fiber from the manole and
termìnate ìt inside CentuLìnk's offce on the FDF at
ELTOPIA's expense. In ths case the POI shall be at the
CentuLìnk FDF.
2.3.2.4.4 Desìgn Thee: Both ELTOPIA and CentuLink each
provìde two fibers between their locatìons. Thìs desìgn may
only be consìdered where exìstìng fibers are avaìlable and
there ìs a mutual benefit to both Parìes. CenturyLìnk wìll
provìde the fibers assocìated wìth the "workìng" sìde of the
system. ELTOPIA wìl provìde the fibers assocìated wìth
the "protectìon" sìde of the system. The Parìes wìl work
cooperatìvely to terminate each other's fiber in order to
provìsìon thìs joìnt SONETring or poìnt-to-poìnt lìnear
system. Both Parìes wìl work cooperatively to determìne
the appropriate technical handoff for puroses of
demarcatìon and fault ìsolatìon. The POI wìl be defined as
beìng at the CentuLìnk locatìon.
2.3.2.5 The ELTOPIA locatìon ìncludes FOTs, multìplexìng and fiber
requìred to terminate the optìcal sìgnal provìded from
CenturLìnk. This locatìon ìs ELTOPIA's responsìbìlìy to
provisìon and maìntaìn.
2.3.2.6 The CentuLìnk locatìon includes all CenturLìnk FOTs,
multiplexìng and fiber requìred to termìnate the optìcal sìgnal
provided from ELTOPIA. Thìs locatìon ìs CentuLìnk's
responsìbility to provìsìon and maìntaìn.
2.3.2.7 Pursuant to the mutually agreed upon implementatìon terms of
ELTOPIA's Fìber Meet BFR, CentuLìnk and ELTOPIA shall
procure, ìnstall, and maìntaìn the agreed-upon FOT equìpment ìn
each of theìr locatìons where the Partìes established a Fìber Meet.
Capacity shall be suffcìent to provìsìon and maìntaìn all tr
groups prescribed by Sectìon 3 of tils Arìcle for the purposes of
Interconnectìon.
2.3.2.8 Each Pary shall provìde ìts own, unique source for the
synchronized tìmìng of ìts FOT equìpment. At a mìnìmum, each
timìng source must be Stratum-3 traceable and canot be provìded
over DSO/DS 1 facìlìtìes, vìa Lìne Tìmìng; or vìa a Derived DS 1 off
of FOT equìpment. Both Parìes agree to establìsh separate and
dìstìnct tìmìng sources that are not derived from the other, and
meet the criteria ìdentìfied above.
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2.3.2.9 ELTOPIA and CenturLìnk wil mutually agree on the capacìty of
the FOT(s) to be utìlized based on equìvalent DS1s or DS3s. Each
Pary wìll also agree upon the optìcal frequency and wavelength
necessary to ìmplement the Interconnectìon. The Parìes wìl
develop and agree upon methods for the capacìty planng and
management for these facìlìtìes, terms and conditìons for over
provìsìonìng facìlìtìes, and the necessary processes to ìmplement
facìltìes as ìndìcated below. These methods wìl meet qualìty
standards as mutually agreed to by ELTOPIA and CentuLìnk.
2.4 Responsìbilìtìes of the Parìes
2.41 ELTOPIA and CenturLink shall work cooperatìvely to ìnstall and
maìntain a reliable network. ELTOPIA and CentuLink shall exchange
appropriate ìnformatìon (e.g., maintenance contact numbers, network
informatìon, ìnformatìon required to comply with law enforcement and
other securty agencìes of the federal and state governent and such other
ìnformatìon as the Parìes shall mutually agree) to achieve tms desìred
relìability.
2.4.2 ELTOPIA and CentuLìnk wil revìew engìneering requìrements as
requìred and establìsh semì-anual forecasts for facìlìtìes utìlìzatìon
provìded under thìs Arìcle.
2.4.3 ELTOPIA and CentuLìnk shall:
2.4.3.1 Provìde trained personnel wìth adequate and compatìble test
equìpment to work with each other's technìcìans.
2.4.3.2 Notìfy each other when there ìs any change affectìng the servìce
requested, includìng the due date.
2.4.3.3 Recognìze that a facìlìty handoff point must be agreed to that
establìshes the demarcatìon for maintenance and provìsìoning
responsìbilìtìes for each pary on theìr sìde of the POI.
2.5. Joìnt Facìlty Growth Planing
2.5.1 The ìnitial facìltìes deployed for each Interconnectìon shall be agreed to by
the Parìes. The following lìsts the criteria and processes needed to satìsfy
addìtìonal capacìty requìrements beyond the ìnitìal system.
2.5.2 Criteria:
2.5.2.1 Investment ìs to be minimìzed.
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2.5.2.2 Facìlitìes wìl be planed for ìn accordance wìth the tr
forecasts exchanged between the Paries as described ìn
Arìcle III, Section 11 and Arìcle IV, Sectìon 3.5 and are to
be deployed ìn accordance wìth the Processes described
below.
2.5.3 Processes:
2.5.3.1 In addìtìon to the joìnt tru group forecastìng established ìn
Arìcle III, Sectìon 11, discussìons to provìde relìef to existìng
facìlìtìes can be ìnitìated by eìther par. Actual system
augmentatìons will be inìtìated upon mutual agreement.
2.5.3.2 Both Parìes wìl perform a joint valìdatìon to ensure curent
Interconnectìon facìlìtìes and assocìated trs have not been over-
provìsìoned. If any facì1ìtìes and/or assocìated trs are over-
provìsìoned, they wìl be tured down where appropriate. Tru
desìgn blocking criteria described ìn Sectìon 3.6 ofthìs Arìcle wìl
be used ìn determinìng tr group sìzìng requìrements and
forecasts.
2.5.3.3 If, based on the forecasted equìvalent DS-1 growth, the exìstìng
facìlitìes are not projected to exhaust WÌthìn one year, the Pares
wìl suspend fuher relief planing on tms Interconnection untìl a
date one (1) year prior to the projected exhaust date. If growth
patterns change during the suspensìon period, either Pary may re-
initìate the joìnt planìng process.
2.5.3.4 Both Parìes wìl negotìate a project servìce date and
correspondìng work schedule to constrct relìef facìlties prior
to facìlìtìes exhaust.
2.5.3.5 The joìnt planng process/negotìatìons should be completed
wìthìn two months of the ìnìtìatìon of such dìscussìon.
3.0 INTERCONNECTION TRUNKING REQUIREMENTS
3.1 Introductìon
3.1.1 Thìs Sectìon 3 of Arìcle IV sets forth terms and condìtìons for
Interconnectìon provìded by CentuyLìnk and ELTOPIA.
3.1.2 Thìs Sectìon 3 of Arìcle IV provìdes descriptìons of the trg
requìrements between ELTOPIA and CenturyLìnk. All references to
ìncomìng and outgoìng trnk groups are from the perspectìve of
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ELTOPIA. The paragraphs below describe the requìred and optìonal tr
groups for local and mass cal1ng.
3.1.3 Local tr groups may only be used to transport traffc between the
Paries' End Users pursuant to the terms of tms Aricle. A Pary wìl not
origìnate any Local Traffic to the other Pary except vìa the tr group
establìshed for the exchange of Local Traffc.
3.2 One Way and Two Way Tru Groups
3.2.1 One-way tr groups for ancìlary servìces (e.g. mass cal1ng) can be
establìshed between the Paries. Ancìlary tru groups wìl utilìze
Sìgnalìng System 7 (SS7) sìgnaling protocol. Multì-frequency (MF).
sìgnaling protocol may only be used where ELTOPIA can demonstrate
that ìt ìs not technìcally feasìble to use SS7 or where CentuyLìnk
otherwìse agrees to use MF. The origìnatìng Pary wìl have
admìnistratìve control of one-way tr groups.
3.2.2 The Partìes agree that separate two-way trnk groups for local, IntraLATA
and InterLATA traffc shall be established between a ELTOPIA swìtch
and a CenturyLink End Office swìtch pursuant to the terms of this Aricle.
Trus wìl utìlìze Sìgnalìng System 7 (SS7) signaling protocol. Multì-
frequency (MF) sìgnalìng protocol may only be used where ELTOPIA can
demonstrate that it is not techncally feasible to use SS7 or where
CenturLìnk otherwìse agrees to use MF. Two-way trnkìng for Local
Traffic will be joìntly provìsìoned and maintaìned, wìth each Pary beìng
responsible for costs on ìts sìde of the POI. The costs assocìated wìth
transportìng Informatìon Access Traffic and/or ISP-Bound Traffc to
ELTOPIA shall be the sole responsìbìlìty of ELTOPIA. For administratìve
consìstency ELTOPIA wìl have control for the purose of ìssuìng Access
Servìce Requests (ASRs) on two-way groups. Eìther Pary wì1 also use
ASRs to request changes ìn trìng. Both Parìes reserve the right to
ìssue ASRs, ìf so requìred, ìn the normal course ofbusìness.
3.2.3 Notwìthstandìng 3.2 above, the Parìes recognize that certaìn technìcal and
bìlìng ìssues may necessìtate the use of one-way trìng for an ìnterim
period. If eìther Pary wants to provìsìon its own one-way trs, tms must
be agreed to by both Parìes. The Parìes wìl negotìate the appropriate
tr configuratìon, whether one-way or two-way gìving consìderatìon to
relevant factors, ìncludìng but not lìmìted to, exìstìng network
configuratìon, admìnìstratìve ease, any bìl1ng system and/or technìcal
lìmìtatìons and network effcìency. Any dìsagreement regardìng
appropriate tr configuratìon shall be subject to the dìspute resolutìon
process ìn Sectìon 20 of Arìcle III.
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3.2.4 Separate local trk groups may be establìshed based on bìling, sìgnalìng,
and network requìrements. The followìng ìs the curent lìst of traffic types
that requìre separate trnk groups, unless specìfically stated otherwìse ìn
thìs Agreement:
3.2.4.1 911/E911 trs;
3.2.4.2 Mass Callng Trus, ìf applìcable; and
3.2.4.3 Toll Free Servìce trnks where ELTOPIA provìdes such servìce to
ìts customers.
3.3 Dìrect and Indirect Connectìon
3.3.1 Indìrect Network Connectìon
3.3.1.1 Indìrect Network Connectìon ìn ìntended only for de minìmìs
traffic assocìated wìth ELTOPIA "start-up" market entr into a
CentuLìnk local exchange. Therefore Indìrect Network
Interconnectìon wìl be allowed only on routes between
CentuLìnk end offices and a ELTOPIA swìtch ìn instances
where, and only so long as, none of the triggers set forth ìn Sectìon
3.3.2.4 ofthìs Arìcle have been reached.
3.3.1.2 Indìrect Network Connectìon shall be accomplìshed by delìvery
and swìtching of Local Traffic at the Tandem Swìtch servg
CentuLìnk's end offce on the traffic route. CenturyLink ìs
responsìble for facìlìties and transport between ìts end offce and
ìts servìce area boundar for Local Traffc that ìt origìnates to
ELTOPIA as well as between ìts servìce area boundary and its end
office for Local Traffic that ELTOPIA origìnates to CenturLìnk.
ELTOPIA ìs responsìble for facìlitìes and transport between ìts end
office and CentuLìnk's servìce area boundar for Local Traffc
that ìt origìnates to CenturyLìnk as well as between CentuLink's
servìce area boundar and ELTOPIA's end office for Local Traffic
that CenturLìnk origìnates to ELTOPIA. Each Pary ìs
responsìble for the appropriate sìzìng, operatìon, and maìntenance
of ìts portìon of the transport facìltìes described ìn thìs Sectìon
3.3.1.2.
3.3.1.3 The Parìes agree to enter ìnto their own agreements with thid-
pary provìders. In the event that ELTOPIA sends traffc though
CenturLìnk's network to a tmrd-pary provìder wìth whom
ELTOPIA does not have a traffic ìnterexchange agreement, then
ELTOPIA agrees to ìndemnfy CenturLìnk for any terminatìon
charges rendered by a thìrd-pary provider for such traffic.
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3.3.1.4 To the extent a Par combines Local Traffic and Joìntly-Provìded
Swìtched Access Traffc on a sìngle tr group for ìndìrect
delìvery through a tandem, the origìnatìng Pary, at the termìnatìng
Pary's request, wìl declare quarerly Percentages of Local Use
(PLUs). Such PLUs wìl be verifiable wìth either call summar
records utìlìzing Callìng Pary Number (CPN) ìnformatìon for
jursdìctìonalìzatìon of traffic or call detaìl samples. Call detaìl or
dìrect jursdìctìonalìzatìon using CPN ìnformatìon may be
exchanged ìn lìeu of PLU, ìf ìt ìs avaìlable. The termnating Pary
should apportìon per mìnute of use (MOU) charges appropriately.
3.3.1.5 Nothìng ìn tms Agreement shall be construed to require
CenturLìnk to payor share ìn the costs of transport outsìde ofìts
service area.
3.3.2. Dìrect Network Connectìon and Local Poìnt ofInterconnectìon (POD
3.3.2.1 Unless the parìes mutually agree otherwìse, a Dìrect Network
Connectìon and a Local POI shall be establìshed upon occurence
of any of the triggers set forth ìn Sectìon 3.3.2.4 of thìs Arìcle. In
some cases, multìple POI(s) wìl be necessar to provìde the best
techncal ìmplementatìon of Interconnectìon requìrements to each
End Offce wìthìn a CenturyLìnk's servìce area.
3.3.2.2 A Direct Network Connectìon shall be establìshed by connectìng
ELTOPIA's network to CentuLìnk's network at a mutually
agreed upon poìnt on CenturLìnk's network wìthìn the
CentuLìnk local exchange. The connectìon can be establìshed ìn
any of the maners described ìn Sectìon 2 ofthìs Arìcle.
3.3.2.3 Th~ Dìrect Network Connectìon poìnt establìshed ìn Sectìon
3.3.2.2 ofthìs Arìcle shall also be the Local POI. Each pary shall
be responsìble for establìshìng and maìntaìnìng all facìlìtìes on ìts
sìde of the Local POI. Each Pary ìs responsìble for the
appropriate sìzing, operatìon, and maìntenance of the transport
facìlty to the POI.
3.3.2.4 Unless the paries agree otherwìse, a Dìrect Network Connectìon
and Local POI shall be establìshed upon the occurence of eìther of
the followìng:
3.3.2.4.1 ELTOPIA has begun servìng end users wìthìn a
CentuLìnk local exchange, or has assìgned to any end
user numbers that are rated to a rate center that ìs wìtmn the
local callng area of a CenturLìnk exchange and the
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resultìng Local Traffic that ìs to be exchanged between the
Parìes ìs equal to or greater than a DS-1 tr equìvalency
as described ìn Sectìon 3.3.2.5 of this Arìcle.
3.3.2.4.2 Eìther Pary ìs assessed transiting costs by a tmrd pary
and such charges assocìated wìth a sìngle traffic exchange
. route exceed $200.00 for one month.
3.3.2.5 A DS-1 tr equìvalency ìs deemed establìshed In any the
fol1owìng instances:
3.3.2.5.1 Traffc studìes of peak busy CCS indìcate that the number
of trs necessar to acmeve a .001 Grade of Servìce
based upon applicatìon of the Erlang B table ìs equal to or
exceeds 24 for three consecutìve months, or for three
months of any consecutìve five month period.
3.3.2.5.2 Combìned two-way traffic between two sìngle switches
of each Party reaches 200,000 combined minutes of use per
month for two consecutìve months, or for any two months
ìn a consecutìve three-month period.
3.3.2.5.3 At any poìnt where a traffc forecast prepared pursuant to
requìrements of Arìc1e Il, Sectìon 11 or Arìcle IV,
Sectìon 3.5 ìndìcates that combined two-way traffc
between two sìngle swìtches of each Pary wìl exceed
200,000 minutes of use per month.
3.3.2.5.4 In any ìnstance where ELTOPIA has requested to port a
number or numbers assocìated wìth an end user customer
and ìt ìs known that local trs prevìously assocìated wìth
that customer and those numbers equaled or exceeded 24.
In any other ìnstance where ìt can be shown that a customer
that ELTOPIA ìs about to serve prevìously had 24 or more
local trs assocìated with the servìce that the customer
wìl disconnect or has dìsconnected ìn migratìng ìts servìce
to ELTOPIA.
3.3.2.5.5 In any ìnstace where ELTOPIA ìs provìdìng a tandem
fuctìon then ELTOPIA must dìrect connect to
CentuLìnk pursuant to the terms of tms sectìon. In such
as case, ELTOPIA must also record and provìde bìllng
records for that traffic transìting ELTOPIA's swìtch and
termìnatìng to CenturyLìnk.
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3.3.2.6 The Paries may mutually agree to establìsh a Dìrect Network
Interconnectìon even where none of the condìtìons set forth ìn
Sectìon 3.3.2.4 ofthìs Arìcle has occured.
3.3.2.7 All traffic receìved by CenturLink on the direct End Offce tr
group from ELTOPIA must termìnate ìn the End Office, ì.e. no
Tandem swìtcmng wìl be performed ìn the End Office. All traffic
receìved by ELTOPIA on the dìrect End Offce trunk group from
CentuLìnk must termìnate ìn the End Office, ì.e., no Tandem
swìtchìng wìl be performed ìn the End Office. Where End Office
fuctìonalìty ìs provìded ìn a remote End Office of a host/remote
configuratìon, the Interconnectìon for that remote End Offce ìs
only avaìlable at the host switch unless otherwìse made technically
avaìlable by CenturLìnk. The number of dìgìts to be receìved by
the termìnating Pary shall conform to standard ìndustr practìces;
but ìn no case shall the number of dìgìts be less than seven (7).
3.3.2.8 ELTOPIA and CenturyLink shall, where applìcable, make
recìprocally avaìlable, the requìred tr groups to handle different
traffic types. ELTOPIA and CentuLìnk wìll support the
provìsìonìng of tr groups that car combìned or separate Local
Traffc. Notwìthstandìng the above, CenturyLìnk requires separate
tru groups from ELTOPIA to origìnate and termìnate Non-Local
Traffic calls and to provìde Swìtched Access Servìce to IXCs. To
the extent ELTOPIA desìres to have any IXCs origìnate or
termnate swìtched access traffic to or from ELTOPIA, usìng
joìntly provìded swìtched access facìlìtìes routed though a
CenturLìnk access tandem, ìt ìs the responsìbìlìty of ELTOPIA to
arange for such IXC to ìssue an ASR to CentuLìnk to dìrect
CenturyLìnk to route the traffc. If CenturLìnk does not receìve
an ASR from the IXC, CenturyLìnk wìl ìnìtìally route the
swìtched access traffic between the IXC and ELTOPIA. If the
IXC subsequently ìndìcates that ìt does not want the traffic routed
to or from ELTOPIA, CentuLink wìl not route the traffic.
3.3.2.8.1 Each Pary agrees to route traffic only over the proper
jursdìctìonal tr group.
3.3.2.8.2 Each Pary shall only delìver traffic over the local
connectìon tr groups to the other Pary's access tandem
for those publìcly-dìalable NXX Codes served by end
offces that dìrectly subtend the access tandem or to those
wìreless servìce provìders that dìrectly subtend the access
tandem.
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3.3.2.8.3 Neìther pary shall route Swìtched Access Servìce traffc
over local connectìon trs, or Local Traffic over
Swìtched Access Servìce trs.
3.4 Tru Groups
3.4.1 The followìng trnk groups shall be used to exchange local traffic between
ELTOPIA and CenturLìnk.
3.4.2 Local Interconnectìon Tru Group(s) ìn Each Exchange
3.4.2.1 Direct End Office Truìng
3.4.2.1.1 The Paries shall establìsh dìrect End Office primar mgh
usage Local Interconnectìon tru groups for the exchange
of Local traffic where actual or projected traffic demand ìs
or wìll be twenty four (24) or more trnks, as described ìn
Sectìon 3.3.2.5 oftms Aricle.
3.4.3 Where eìther Pary offers dìrect or ported local servìce to end users, that
Pary must maìntain network facìlìtìes (whether owned or leased) used to
actìvely provìde, ìn par, local Telecommuncatìons Servìces ìn the
geographìc area where servìce ìs offered.
3.4.4 ELTOPIA shall provìde all SS7 sìgnalìng ìnformatìon ìncluding, wìthout
lìmìtatìon, charge number and origìnating lìne ìnformatìon (OLI). For
termnating FGD, CenturyLìnk wìl pass all SS7 sìgnaling ìnformation
ìncluding, wìthout lìmìtation, CPN ìf ìt receìves CPN from FGD carers.
All privacy ìndìcators wìl be honored. Where avaìlable, network sìgnalìng
ìnformatìon such as transìt network selectìon (TNS) parameter, carer
ìdentìficatìon codes (CIC) (CCS platform) and CIC/OZZ ìnformatìon
(non-SS7 envìronment) wìl be provìded by ELTOPIA wherever such
ìnformatìon ìs needed for call routìng or bìlìng. The Parìes wìl follow all
OBF adopted standards pertaìnìng to TNS and CIC/OZZ codes.
3.4.5 Hìgh Volume (HV) / Mass Callng (Choke) Tru Group:
3.4.5.1 If ELTOPIA should acquire a HV/Mass Callng customer, ì.e. an
ISP or a radìo statìon, ELTOPIA shall provìde written notìficatìon
to CentuLìnk.
3.5 Forecastìng and Plannng Responsìbìlìtìes
3.5.1 ELTOPIA agrees to provìde an ìnìtìal forecast for establìshìng the ìnìtìal
Interconnectìon facì1ìtìes pursuant to Arìcle III, Sectìon 11. CentuLink
shall revìew thìs forecast, and ìf ìt has any additìonal ìnformatìon that wìll
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change the forecast shall provìde thìs ìnformatìon to ELTOPIA. The
Parìes recognìze that, to the extent mstorical traffic data can be shared
between the Parìes, the accuracy of the forecasts wìl ìmprove. ELTOPIA
shall provide subsequent forecasts on a semì-anual basìs. ELTOPIA
forecasts should include yearly forecasted tr quantìties for all
appropriate tru groups described ìn thìs sectìon for a mìnimum of three
years. Forecasts shall be non-bindìng on both CentuLìnk and ELTOPIA.
CenturyLink shall take ELTOPIA's forecasts ìnto consìderatìon ìn ìts
network planìng, and shall exercìse ìts best efforts to have available for
tu up the quantìty of interconnectìon trs and facilìtìes forecasted by
the ELTOPIA. However, the development and submìssìon of forecasts
shall not replace the ordering process ìn place for ìnterconnectìon trs
and facilìtìes, and the provìsìon of the forecasted quantìty of
ìnterconnectìon trus and facìlìtìes ìs subject both to capacìty exìstìng at
the tìme the order ìs submìtted as well as to the demonstrated need based
on the fill rate of the exìstìng trs and facìlìtìes. Furhermore, the
development and receìpt of forecasts does not ìmply any lìabìlìty for
faìlure to perform ìf capacìty ìs not avaìlable for use at the forecasted tìme.
3.5.2 The semì-anual forecasts shall ìnclude:
3.5.2.1 Yearly forecasted tr quantìties (wmch ìnclude measurements
that reflect actual, End Office Local Interconnectìon trs, and
Tandem subtending Local Interconnectìon End Office equìvalent
tr requirements) for a minìmum of three (curent and plus 1 and
plus 2) years; and
3.5.2.2 A descriptìon of major network projects antìcìpated for the
following sìx (6) months. Major network projects ìnclude trunkng
or network rearangements, smfts ìn antìcìpated traffic patterns,
orders greater than four (4) DSl's, or other actìvìtìes that are
reflected by a signficant ìncrease or decrease ìn tring demand
for the following forecastìng period.
3.5.3 The Parìes shall agree on a forecast provìded above to ensure efficìent
utìlìzatìon of trnks. Orders for trnks that exceed forecasted quantìties for
forecasted locatìons wìl be accommodated as facìlìtìes and/or equìpment
becomes available. Partìes shall make all reasonable efforts and cooperate
ìn good faìth to develop alternatìve solutions to accommodate orders when
facìlìtìes are not avaìlable.
3.5.4 ELTOPIA shall be responsìble for forecastìng two-way tr groups.
CentuLìnk shall be responsìble for forecastìng and servìcìng the one-
way tr groups termìnatìng to ELTOPIA and ELTOPIA shall be
responsìble for forecastìng and servìcìng the one-way tru groups
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termìnatìng to CentuLìnk, unless otherwìse specìfied ìn thìs sectìon.
Standard tru traffic engìneering methods wìl be used by the Parìes.
3.5.5 If forecast quantìtìes are ìn dìspute, the Parìes shall meet, eìther ìn person
or vìa conference call, to reconcìle the dìfferences.
3.5.6 Each Pary shall provìde a specified point of contact for planing,
forecastìng and tr servìcìng puroses.
3.5.7 CenturyLìnk shall attempt to meet ELTOPIA's requests for ìnterconnectìon
usìng Curently A vaìlable facìlitìes and capacity. CenturLìnk shall have
no obligatìon to constrct addìtìonal facìlììes or capacìty to meet
ELTOPIA's requests for Interconnectìon. However, ìf CenturLìnk
refuses a ELTOPIA request due to lack of facìlìtìes or lack of capacìty,
ELTOPIA may request to work wìth CenturLìnk to establìsh a
constrctìon plan, and ELTOPIA shall bear all costs assocìated wìth
engìneering and constrctìng such addìtìonal facìlìtìes or capacìty.
3.5.8 Notwìthstandìng the above, ìf ELTOPIA determìnes to offer local
exchange servìce wìthìn a CenturyLìnk area, EAS to a CenturLìnk' area
or otherwìse assìgn numbers rated to the CenturyLìnk exchange,
ELTOPIA shall provìde thìrty (30) days wrtten notìce to CentuLìnk of
the need to establìsh Interconnectìon. Such request shall ìnclude (ì)
CLEC's Swìtch address, type, and CLL!; (ìì) CLEC's requested
Interconnectìon actìvatìon date; and (ììì) a non-bìndìng forecast ofCLEC's
trng and facìlìtìes requìrements.
3.5.8.1 Upon receìpt of CLEC's notìce to ìnterconnect, the Parìesshall
schedule a meetìng to negotìate and mutually agree on the network
archìtecture (includìng trnkìng) to be documented as dìscussed
above. The Interconnectìon actìvatìon date for an Interconnect
shall be establìshed based on then-exìstìng work force and load,
the scope and complexìty of the requested Interconnectìon and
other relevant factors.
3.5.8.2 If ELTOPIA deploys addìtional swìtches after the Effectìve Date
or otherwìse wìshes to establìsh Interconnectìon wìth addìtìonal
CenturLìnk Central Offices, ELTOPIA shall provìde wrtten
notìce to CentuLìnk to establìsh such Interconnectìon. The terms
and condìtìons of this Agreement shall apply to such
Interconnectìon. If CenturyLìnk deploys addìtìonal End Office
swìtches ìn a local exchange after the effectìve date or otherwìse
wìshes to establìsh Interconnectìon wìth addìtìonal ELTOPIA
Central Offices ìn such local exchange, CentuLìnk shall be
entitled, upon wrtten notice to CLEC, to establish such
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Interconnectìon and the terms and condìtìons of thìs Agreement
shall apply to such Interconnectìon.
3.6 Tru Desìgn Blockìng Criteria
3.6.1 In accordance wìth ìndustr traffic engineering standards, tr
requìrements for forecastìng and servìcìng shall be based on the blockìng
objectìves shown ìn Table 1. Tru requìrements shall be based upon a
tìme consìstent average busy season busy hour Erlang B .001 factor.
TABLE 1
Tru Group Type Design Blockìng Objectìve
Local Dìrect End Office (Primar High)as mutually agreed upon
Local Dìrect End Office (Fìnal).01%
3.7 Tru Servcìng
3.7.1 Orders between the Parìes to establìsh, add, change or dìsconnect trs
shall be processed by usìng an Access Service Request (ASR). ELTOPIA
wìl have adinistratìvecontrol for the purose of ìssuìng ASR's on two-
way tr groups. Where one-way trs are used (as dìscussed ìn Sectìon
3.2 of thìs Arcle), CenturLìnk wìl ìssue ASRs for tr groups for
traffic that origìnates from CenturLìnk and termìnates to ELTOPIA. The
Parìes agree that neìther Party shall alter trnk sìzìng wìthout first
conferrng with the other Pary.
3.7.2 Both Parìes wìl joìntly manage the capacìty of Local Interconnectìon
Tru Groups. Eìther Pary may send an ASR to the other Pary to trgger
changes to the Local Interconnectìon Tru Groups based on capacìty
assessment.
3.7.3 Underutìlzatìon:
3.7.3.1 Underutilìzatìon of Interconnectìon trnks and facìlitìes exìsts
when provìsìoned capacìty ìs greater than the curent need. Thìs
over provisìonìng ìs an ìnefficìent deployment and use of network
resources and results ìn unecessar costs. Those sìtuatìons where
more capacity exìsts than actual usage requìres wìl be handled ìn
the followìng maner:
3.7.3.1.1 If a tr group ìs under 75 percent (75%) of CCS
capacìty on a monthly average basìs, for each month of any
three (3) consecutìve months period, eìther Par may
request the ìssuance of an order to resìze the tru group,
whìch shall be left wìth not less than 25 percent (25%)
excess capacìty. In all cases grade of servìce objectìves
shall be maìntaìned.
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3.7.3.1.2 Eìther Par may send an ASR to the other Pary to
trgger changes to the Local Interconnectìon Trunk Groups
based on capacìty assessment. Upon receipt of an ASR the
receìvìng Pary wìl ìssue an ASR to the other Par wìtmn
twenty (20) busìness days after receìpt of the ìnìtìatìng
ASR.
3.7.3.1.3 Upon review of the ASR ìf a Pary does not agree wìth
the resìzìng, the Paries wìll schedule a joìnt planìng
dìscussìon wìtmn twenty (20) busìness days. The Parìes
wìl meet to resolve and mutually agree to the dìsposìtìon
of the inìtìatìng ASR.
3.8 ELTOPIA wìl be responsìble for engìneering ìts network on ìts sìde ofthe Poìnt of
Interconnectìon (POI). CentuLìnk wìl be responsìble for engìneering ìts
network on ìts sìde of the POI.
3.9 Where facilitìes are avaìlable, due dates for the ìnstallatìon of Local Interconnectìon
Trus covered by tils sectìon shall be shall be in accordance with the
CenturLìnk Servìce Guìde. If eìther ELTOPIA or CenturLìnk ìs unable to or
not ready to perform Acceptance Tests, or is unable to accept the Local
Interconnectìon Servìce Arangement tr(s) by the due date, the Partìes wìl
reschedule a mutually acceptable date.
3.10 Utilizatìon shall be defined as Trus Requìred as a percentage of Trus In
Servìce. Trus Requìred shall be determined usìng methods described ìn Section
3.5 of thìs Arìcle usìng Desìgn Blockìng Objectìves stated in Sectìon 3.6 of this
Arìcle.
3.10.1 Should ELTOPIA request trng from CenturLìnk ìn excess of the
ìndustry traffic engìneering desìgn blocking standard, CenturyLìnk ìs not
oblìgated to provide such trng unless ELTOPIA agrees ìn wrtìng to
pay for the excess trìng on the CentuLìnk sìde of the POI.
3.11 Tru Data Exchange
3.11.1 Each Pary agrees to servìce tr groups to the foregoìng blockìng criteria
ìn a tìmely maner when tr groups exceed measured blockìng
thresholds on an average tìme consìstent busy hour for a twenty-one (21)
day study period. The Partìes agree that twenty-one (21) days ìs the study
period duratìon objectìve. However, a study period on occasìon may be
less than twenty-one (21) days but at mìnìmum must be at least three (3)
busìness days to be utìlzed for engìneering puroses, although wìth less
statìstìcal confidence.
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3.11.2 Exchange of traffic data enables each Pary to make accurate and
ìndependent assessments of tr group servìce levels and requirements.
. Parìes agree to establish a timelìne for ìmplementing an exchange of
traffic data. Implementatìon shall be wìthìn thee (3) months of the date, or
such date as agreed upon, that the tr groups begìn passing lìve traffic.
The traffc data to be exchanged wìll be the Origìnating Attempt Peg
Count, Usage (measured ìn Hundred Call Seconds), Overflow Peg Count,
and Maìntenance Usage (measured ìn Hundred Call Seconds) on a seven
(7) day per week, twenty-four (24) hour per day, fifty-two (52) weeks per
year basìs. These reports shall be made avaìlable on a semì-anual basìs
upon request. Exchange of data on one-way groups ìs optìonaL.
3.12. Network Management
3.12.1 Restrctìve Controls
3.12.1.1 Eìther Pary may use protectìve network traffic management
controls such as 7 -digìt and 10-dìgìt code gaps set at appropriate
levels on traffic toward each other's network, when requìred, to
protect the publìc switched network from congestìon due to facìlìty
faìlures, swìtch congestìon, or faìlure or focused overload.
ELTOPIA and CentuLink wìl ìmedìately notìfy each other of
any protectìve control action planed or executed.
3.12.2 Expansìve Controls
3.12.2.1 Where the capabìlìty exìsts, origìnatìng or terminatìng traffc
reroutes may be ìmplemented by eìther Pary to temporarily relìeve
network congestìon due to facìlìty faìlures or abnormal callng
patterns. Reroutes wìl not be used to CÌrcumvent normal tr
servìcìng. Expansìve controls wìl only be used when mutually
agreed to by the Partìes.
3.12.3 Temporar Mass Callìng
3.12.3.1 ELTOPIA and CenturLìnk shall cooperate and share pre-
planing ìnformation regardìng cross-network call-ìns expected to
generate large or focused temporar ìncreases ìn call volumes.
4.0 MUTUAL COMPENSATION FOR TRASPORT, TERMINATION, AND
TRASITING OF LOCAL TRAFIC
4.1 Introductìon
4.1.1 This Sectìon 4 of Arìcle IV sets forth terms and condìtìons for mutual
compensatìon for transport, termìnatìon, and transìting of Local Traffic,
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ISP-Bound Traffic, and VNXX Traffc provìded by CentuLìnk and
ELTOPIA.
4.2 Transmìssìon and Routìng of Telephone Exchange Servìce Traffic Relevant to
Compensatìon
4.2.1 Intentìonally left blan.
4.2.2 Recìprocal compensatìon applìes for transport and termìnatìon of Local
Traffc, ISP-Bound Traffic, and VNXX Traffic termìnated by eìther
Party's swìtch. The Partìes agree that the jursdìctìon of a call ìs
determìned by ìts physìcal origìnatìng and termìnating (end-to-end) poìnts.
When an End User originates a call whìch termìnates to an End User
physìcally located in the same local callng area and served on the other
Pary's swìtch, the origìnatìng Pary shall compensate the termìnatìng
Pary for the transport and terminatìon of Local Traffc ìn accordance wìth
Sectìon 4.4 of ths Arìcle.
4.2.2.1 For puroses of compensatìon between the Parìes and the abìlìty
of the Parìes to appropriately apply theìr toll rates to theìr End
User Customers, ELTOPIA shall adopt the Rate Center areas and
Rating Points that the Commìssìon has approved for the ILECs.
ELTOPIA and CentuLìnk shall comply wìth all relevant industr
guìdelìnes and Commìssìon requìrements ìn the assìgnent and
use of numbering resources.
4.2.2.2 If ELTOPIA assìgns NP A/s to specific rate centers and
assìgns numbers from those NPNNXXs to ELTOPIA End-Users
physìcally located outsìde of the rate center to wmch the
NP A/ ìs assìgned, CenturLìnk traffc origìnatìng from wìthìn
the rate center where the NP NNXX ìs assìgned and termìnatìng to
such Vìrtual NXX (VNXX) End-Users at a locatìon outsìde the
CenturLìnk origìnatìng rate center, shall be compensated at Bìl
and Keep. The termìnatìng carrer wìl be responsìble for the cost
of transportìng the call.
4.2.3 ELTOPIA and CenturLìnk agree to termìnate each other's ISP-Bound
Traffic on a Bìl and Keep basìs of recìprocal compensatìon. Eltopìa and
CenturyLìnk agree to termìnate each other's VNXX Traffic on a Bìl and
Keep basìs of recìprocal compensatìon and the termìnatìng carer ìs
responsìble for the transport of the call from the local callng area ìn wmch
the call origìnates to the Poìnt of Interconnectìon.
4.2.4 When ELTOPIA establìshes servìce ìn a new area, the Parìes' oblìgatìon
for recìprocal compensatìon to each other shall commence on the date the
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Parìes agree that the network ìs complete (Le., each Pary has establìshed
ìts originatìng trs as well as any ancìlar fuctìons (~, 9-1-1)) and ìs
capable of fully supportìng origiating and termnatìng End Users' (and
not a Pary's test) traffic. If there ìs no formal agreement as to the date of
network completìon, ìt shall be consìdered complete no later than the date
that live traffic first passes though the network.
4.2.5 The compensatìon arangements set forth ìn tms sectìon are not applìcable
to (i) Exchange Access traffic, (ìì) traffic originated by one Par on a
number ported to ìts network that termìnates to another number ported on
that same Pary's network or (ììì) any other type of traffic found to be
exempt from recìprocal compensatìon by the FCC or the Commissìon. All
Exchange Access traffic and ìntraLATA Toll Traffic shall contìnue to be
governed by the terms and condìtìons of applìcable federal and state
access tarffs. Optìonal callìng plans, where applìcable, wìl be classìfied
as toll traffic.
4.2.6 As set forth in Sectìon 4.2.1.3 of tms Arìcle, IP-Enabled Voìce Traffic
shall be assìgned to the correspondìng jursdìctìon for compensatìon
puroses, ìf all the sìgnalìng parameters are ìncluded wìth the traffic
exchange. Callng Pary Number ("CPN") and Jursdìctìonal Indìcator
Parameter ("JIP") of the originatìng IP-Enabled Voìce Traffic shall
ìndìcate the geographical locatìon of the actual IP caller locatìon, not the
locatìon where the call enters the PSTN.
4.2.7 Private Lìne Servìces ìnclude private lìne-lìke and specìal access services
and are not subject to local recìprocal compensatìon. Private Lìne Servìces
are defined as dedicated Telecommuncatìons chanels provìded between
two poìnts or swìtched among multìple poìnts and are used for voìce, data,
audìo or vìdeo transmìssìon. Private Lìne servìces ìnclude, but are not
lìmìted to, W ATS access lìnes.
4.2.8 Except as provìded otherwìse ìn tms Agreement, the Parìes understand and
agree that eìther Pary, upon ten (10) days notìce to the other Pary, may
block any traffic that is ìmproperly routed by the other Pary over any
tru groups and/or wmch ìs routed outsìde of the mutual agreement of the
Parìes.
4.2.9 Neìther Party shall be oblìgated to compensate the other Pary or any Thìrd
Pary for telecommunìcatìons traffic that ìs ìnappropriately routed.
4.3. Responsìbìlìties ofthe Parìes
4.3.1 Each Pary to this Agreement wì1 be responsìble for the accuracy and
qualìty of ìts data as submìtted to the respectìve Parìes ìnvolved. It is the
responsìbìlity of each Pary to originate and transmìt complete and
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unaltered callng party number (CPN), as receìved by anorigìnatìng pary.
Each Pary ìs indìvìdually responsìble to provìde facìlìtìes wìtmn ìts
network for routìng, transporting, measurng, and bìling traffic from the
other Pary's network and for delìvering such traffic to the other Pary's
network as referenced ìn Telcordìa Technologìes BOC Notes on LEC
Networks and to termìnate the traffic ìt receìves ìn that standard format to
the proper address on ìts network. The Parìes are each solely responsìble
for particìpatìon ìn and complìance WÌth natìonal network plans, ìncludìng
the Telecommuncatìons Servìce Priority (TSP) System for Natìonal
Security Emergency Preparedness (NSEP).
4.3.2 Each Party ìs responsìble to ìnput requìred data ìnto Routing Data Base
Systems (RDBS) and ìnto Telecordìa Technologìes Rating Admìnistratìve
Data Systems (example: BRAS) or other appropriate system(s)
necessary to update the Local Exchange Routìng Guìde.
4.3.3 Neìther Pary shall use any Interconnectìon, fuctìon, facìlìty, product,
network element, or servce provìded under thìs Agreement or any other
servìce related thereto or used ìn combìnatìon therewìth ìn any maner
that ìnterferes wìth or ìmpaìrs servìce over any facìlìtìes of eìther Pary, ìts
affiìated companìes or other connectìng telecommunicatìons carers,
prevents any carrer from usìng ìts Telecommuncation Servìce, ìmpaìrs
the qualìty or privacy of Telecommunìcatìons Servìce to other carrers or
to eìther Pary's End Users, causes hazards to eìther Pary's personnel or
the publìc, damage to eìther Pary's or any connectìng carer's facìltìes or
equìpment, ìncludìng any malfuctìon of ordering or bìlìng systems or
equìpment. Upon such occurence, eìther Party may dìscontinue or refuse
servìce for so long as the other Pary is vìolatìng thìs provìsìon. Upon any
such vìolatìon, eìther Party shall provìde the other Pary notìce of the
vìolatìon at the earlìest practìcable tìme.
4.3.4 Each Party ìs solely responsìble for the servìces ìt provìdes to its End Users
and to other Telecommuncatìons Carers.
4.3.5 Where SS7 connectìons exìst, each Pary wìl provìde the other wìth the
proper sìgnalìng ìnformatìon (e.g., origìnatìng Callng Pary Number, JIP
and destìnatìon called pary number, etc.), to enable each Pary to ìssue
bìls ìn a complete and timely fashion. All CCS sìgnalìng parameters wìl
be provìded ìncludìng CPN, JIP, Origìnatìng Lìne Informatìon Parameter
(OLIP) on calls to 8XX telephone numbers, callìng party category, Charge
Number, etc. All privacy indìcators wìl be honored.
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4.4 Local Traffic Compensatìon
4.41 The rates, terms, condìtìons controned herein apply only to the termination
of Local Traffic on the Parìes' networks. All applìcable rate elements can
be found in Arìcle VII - Pricìng.
4.4.2 The Parìes shall assume that Local Traffc is roughly balanced between
the parìes unless traffc studìes indìcate otherwise. Accordìngly, the
Parìes agree to use a Bìl-and-Keep Arangement wìth respect to
termìnatìon only of Local Traffic. Eìther Pary may ìnìtiate a traffc study
no more frequently than once every sìx (6) months. Such traffic study shall
examine all Local Traffc. Local Traffic that ìs also ISP-Bound Traffic is
excluded from the traffic study. When the actual usage data ìn the study
ìndìcates that the Local Traffic termìnated both dìrectly or ìndìrectly by
either Pary, excludìng Local Traffc that ìs ISP-Bound Traffic, is more
than 60 percent of the total combined terminated mìnutes of both Parìes for
three (3) consecutìve months, that Pary may notìfy the other Pary by
regìstered letter that mutual compensatìon wìl commence for such Local
Traffic, pursuant to the rates set forth ìn Arìcle VII-Pricìng of thìs
Agreement. The written notìce must be accompanìed by verifiable
ìnformatìon supporting the out-of-balance determìnatìon, except that such
informatìon may alternatìvely be sent ìn electronìc format at the notìfyìng
Pary's dìscretìon or the receìvìng Party's request. Followìng such notìce,
bìlìng shall begìn and contìnue for the duratìon of the Term of thìs
Agreement unless the out-of-balance determìnatìon ìs reversed pursuant to
the dìspute resolutìon process or subsequent traffc studìes (not more
frequent than every 6 months) ìndìcate that the traffic has changed to reflect
that neìther Party termìnates more than 60% of the total traffic. .
4.4.3 End Office Termìnatìon Rate
4.4.3.1 The End Office Termìnatìon rate applìes to Local Traffc that ìs
delìvered to the Parìes for termìnatìon at an End Office Swìtch.
Thìs ìncludes dìrect-routed Local Traffic that termìnates to offices
that have combìned Tandem Office Swìtch and End Office Swìtch
fuctìons.
4.5 Bìllng for Mutual Compensatìon
4.5.1 Dìrect Interconnectìon
4.5.1.1 Where the Parìes utìlìze Dìrect Interconnectìon for the exchange
of traffic between theìr respectìve networks, each Pary wìl
calculate termìnatìng ìnterconnectìon mìnutes of use based on
standard Automatìc Message Accountìng (AMA) recordìngs made
wìthi each Pary's network. These recordìngs are the basìs for
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each Pary to generate bìls to the other Pary. For purposes of
reciprocal compensatìon only, measurement of mìnutes of use over
Local Interconnectìon Tru Groups shall be ìn actual
conversation seconds. The total conversatìon seconds over each
ìndìvìdual Local Interconnection Tru Group will be totaled for
the entìre monthly bìl and then rounded to the next whole minute.
4.5.1.2 Where SS7 connectìons exìst between CentuLìnk and ELTOPIA,
undentìfied traffic (ì.e. wìthout CPN or JI) wìl be handled in the
followìng maner.
4.5.1.2.1 If the amount of unìdentified traffic ìs less than five
percent (5%) of the total traffc, it will be treated as havìng
the same jursdìctìonal ratìo as the identified traffic.
4.5.1.2.2 If the unìdentìfied traffic exceeds five percent (5%) of the
total traffic, all the undentified traffic shall be bìled at a
rate equal to access charges.
4.5.1.2.3 The origìnating Pary wìl provìde to the other Pary,
upon request, ìnformatìon to demonstrate that Pary's
portìon of no~CPN or JIP traffic does not exceed five
percent (5%) of the total traffic delìvered.
4.5.1.2.4 The Parìes will coordìnate and exchange data as
necessar to determìne the cause of the CPN or JIP faìlure
and to assìst ìts correctìon.
4.5.2 Indìrect Interconnectìon
4.5.2.1 For any traffic exchanged between the Parìes vìa thìrd pary
tandems, each Pary shall utìlìze records provìded by the tandem
operator to ìnvoìce for traffic termìnatìng on ìts network. The
Paries agree to accept the bìling records from the tandem operator
as representatìve of the traffic exchanged between the Parìes.
4.5.2.2 To calculate ìntrastate toll access charges, each Pary shall provìde
to the other, wìthin twenty (20) calendar days after the end of each
quarer (commencìng wìth the first full quarer after the effective
date ofthìs Agreement), a PLU (Percent Local Usage) factor. Each
company should calculate the PLU factor on a LATA basìs usìng
theìr origìnatìng IntraLATA mìnutes of use. The Parìes shall
provìde a separate PLU for each CentuyLìnk operatìng company
covered under thìs Agreement. The percentage of origìnatìng Local
Traffic plus ISP-Bound Traffic to total ìntrastate (Local Traffic,
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ISP-Bound Traffic, and ìntraLATA toll) origìnatìng traffic would
represent the PLU factor.
4.5.3 Audìts of usage assocìated wìth Recìprocal Compensatìon shall be
performed as specìfied Arìcle III, Section 7.2.
4.5.4 The Parìes shall be governed by applìcable state and federal rules,
practìces, and procedures regardìng the provìsìon and recordìng of billng
records.
4.6 Transìt Traffc
4.6.1 All references to CentuLìnk Tandems ìn tils sectìon pertaìn only to
those locatìons where CenturyLìnk curently owns a Tandem and where
the CenturLìnk End Offices at whìch traffic ìs to be exchanged are
actually connected to the CentuyLìnk Tandem. CentuLìnk Tandem
servìces are not avaìlab1e 1) at CenturLìnk End Offices or 2) to
CenturLìnk End Offices where the End Offices are not connected to a
CentuLìnk Tandem.
4.6.2 Where CentuLìnk ìs a tandem owner, Transìt Servìce ìs provìded by
CenturyLìnk to ELTOPIA vìa ** CLEC's connectìon to the Tandem to
enable the completìon of calls origìnated by or termìnated to another
Telecommuncatìons Carer (such as another ELTOPIA, another LEC, or
a wireless carer) that ìs connected to the Tandem. To the extent that
ELTOPIA's owns an Access Tandem Switch, as desìgnated ìn the LERG,
ELTOPIA may also provìde Transìt Servìce to CenturLìnk.
4.6.3 For puroses ofthe Agreement, Transìt Traffic does not ìnclude traffic
that ìs cared by Interexchange Carers at any poìnt durng the end-to-end
transmìssìon of the communìcatìon. For puroses ofthìs Agreement,
traffic cared at any poìnt durng the end-to-end transmìssìon of thecommuncatìon by one or more Interexchange Carers ìs defined as
Joìntly-Provìded Swìtched Access Servìce Traffic to wmch Sectìons
4.6.4.3 and 3.3.1.4 ofthìs Arìcle apply.
4.6.4 CenturLìnk wìl accept Transìt Traffic origìnated by ELTOPIA for
termìnatìon to another CLEC, another LEC, or wìreless carrer that ìs
connected to CenturyLìnk's Access Tandem Swìtch. CentuLìnk wìl
also termìnate Transìt Traffic from another CLEC, another LEC, or
wìreless carrer that ìs connected to CenturyLìnk's Access Tandem Swìtch
to ELTOPIA, subject to the followìng.
4.6.4.1 To the extent technìcally feasìble, the Parìes ìnvolved ìn
transportìng Transìt Traffic wìl delìver calls to each ìnvolved
network wìth Common Chanel Sìgnalìng (CCS)/Sìgnalìng
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System 7 (SS7) protocol and the appropriate ISUP/TCAP
messages to facìlìtate full interoperabìlìty and bilìng fuctìons.
4.6.4.2 The origìnatìng carer ìs responsìble for payment of appropriate
rates to the carer provìdìng the Transit Servìce and to the
termìnatìng carer. The Parìes agree to enter into traffc exchange
agreements wìth thìrd-pary Telecommunìcatìons Carers prior to
delìvering traffic to be transìted to thìrd-pary Telecommuncatìons
Carers. In the event one Pary origìnates traffic that transits the
second Pary's network to reach a thìrd-pary Telecommunicatìons
Carer wìth whìch the origìnatìng Pary does not have a traffic
exchange agreement, the origìnatìng Pary wìl ìndemnìfy, defend
and hold harmless the second Pary against any and all charges
levìed by such third-party Telecommunicatìons Carer, includìng
anytermìnatìon charges related to such traffc and any attorneys'
fees and expenses. In the case of IntraLATA Toll Traffic where
CenturLin ìs the desìgnated IntraLATA Toll provìder for
existìng LECs, CentuyLìnk wìl be responsìble for payment of
appropriate usage rates.
4.6.4.3 Where eìther Pary ìnterconnects and delìvers traffic to the other
from thìrd parìes, each Pary shall bìl such thìrd parìes the
appropriate charges pursuant to ìts respectìve Tarffs or contractual
offerings for such thìrd-pary termìnatìons.
4.6.4.4 The followìng rates shall apply to Transìt Traffic dependìng on the
type of traffc beìng transìted:
4.6.4.4.1 Transìt of Local Traffic: Swìtchìng and transport rates
wìl be charged to the origìnatìng Party, as contaìned in
Arìcle VII (Pricìng).
4.6.4.4.2 Transìt of IntraLATA Toll Traffic: A per-mìnute-of-use
rate wìl be charged to the origìnatìng Party, as contaìned ìn
CenturLin's state access tarff.
4.6.4.4.3 Transìt of Joìntly-Provìded Swìtched Exchange Access
Servìce Traffic: The applìcable Swìtched Access rates wìl
be bìled by the Partìes to the IXC based on MECAB
guìdelìnes and each Pary's respective FCC and state access
Tarffs.
4.6.5 When CenturLìnk receìves an unqueried call from ELTOPIA to a
telephone number that has been ported to another local servìce provìder,
the transìt rate and LNP dìp charge set forth ìn CenturLìnk's applìcable
tarff shall apply.
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4.7 Bìlìng.
4.7.1 When direct connectìon ìs implemented, CentuLin shall render to
ELTOPIA a bìl for dìrect connectìon servìces on a curent basìs. Charges
for physìcal facìlìtìes and other non-usage sensìtìve charges shall be bìled
ìn advance, except for charges and credìts assocìated wìth the ìnìtìal or
final bìls. Usage sensìtìve charges, such as charges for termìnatìon of
Local Traffic, shall be bìled ìn arears.
4.7.2 Bilìng Specìficatìons.
4.7.2.1 The Parìes agree that bìlìng requìrements and outputs wìll be
consìstent with the Ordering & Bìllng Form (OBF) and also wìth
Telcordìa Technologìes Bìlìng Output Specìficatìons (BOS).
4.7.2.2 Usage Measurement: Usage measurement for calls shall begìn
when Answer Supervìsìon or equìvalent Sìgnaling System 7 (SS7)
message is receìved from the termìnating office and shall end at
the tìme of call dìsconnect by the calling or called subscriber,
wmchever occurs first.
4.7.2.3 Mìnutes of use (MOU), or fractìons thereof, shall not be rounded
upward on a per-call basìs, but wìl be accumulated over the bìlìng
period. At the end of the bìlìng period, any remaìnìng fractìon
shall be rounded up to the nearest whole minute to arve at total
bìlable mìnutes. MOD shall be collected and measured in
mìnutes, seconds, and tenths of seconds.
5.0 APPLICABILITY OF OTHER RATES, TERMS AND CONDITIONS
5.1 Every ìnterconnectìon and servìce provìded hereunder, whether dìrect or
ìndìrect, shall be subject to all rates, terms and condìtìons contaìned ìn tils
Arìcle and thìs Agreement, whìch are legìtìmately related to such
ìnterconnectìon or servìce.
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ARTICLE V: MANTENANCE
1.0 GENERA MANTENANCE & REP AIR REQUIREMENTS
CentuLink wìl provide maìntenance and repaìr servìces for all Interconnectìon
Facìltìes and trs provìded by CenturLìnk under this Agreement. Such maìntenance
and repair servìces provided to ELTOPIA shall be equal ìn qualìty to that whìch
CentuLìnk provìdes to ìtself, any subsìdìar, Affilìate or thrd pary. CentuLink
agrees to respond to ELTOPIA trouble reports on a non-discriminatory basis consìstent
wìth the manner ìn whìch ìt provìdes servìce to ìts own retaìl End User Customers or to
any other simìlarly ìnitiated Telecommunicatìons Carer. Notwìthstandìng anyting else
ìn thìs Agreement, CenturyLink shall be required to provìde maìntenance and/or repair to
ELTOPIA only to the extent requìred by Applìcable Law.
2.0 MANTENANCE & REPAIR PROCEDURES
2.1 CenturLìnk shall not respond to maintenance and/or repaìr calls directly from
ELTOPIA's End User Customers. ELTOPIA shall ìnitìate any and all
maìntenance and/or repaìrcalls to CenturyLìnk.
2.2 CenturLìnk wìl provìde a sìngle poìnt of contact (SPOC) for all of ELTOPIA's
maìntenance and repaìr requìrements under thìs Arìcle (vìa a 1-800 number(s))
that wìl be answered twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week.
Thìs SPOC shall be set forth ìn the CentuLìnk Servìce Guìde.
2.3 On a recìprocal basis, ELTOPIA wìl provìde CentuLìnk wìth an SPOC for all
maìntenance and repaìr requìrements under thìs Arìcle (vìa a 1-800 number(s))
that wìll be answered twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week.
2.4 ELTOPIA agrees to follow the process and procedures for reportìng and resolvìng
cìrcuìt trouble or repaìrs set forth ìn the CentuLìnk Servìce Guìde. Before
contactìng CenturyLìnk's Trouble Maìntenance Center (CTMC), ELTOPIA must
first conduct trouble ìsolatìon to ensure that the trouble does not origìnate from
ELTOPIA's own equìpment or network or the equìpment of ELTOPIA's
customer.
2.5 If (a) ELTOPIA reports to CentuLìnk a trouble, (b) ELTOPIA requests a
dìspatch, (c) CenturyLìnk dìspatches a technìcian, and (d) such trouble was not
caused by CentuLìnk's facìlìtìes or equìpment in whole or ìn par, then
ELTOPIA shall pay CentuLìnk a charge set forth ìn CenturyLìnk's local tarff
for tìme assocìated wìth saìd dìspatch. In additìon, thìs charge also applìes when
the customer contact as desìgnated by ELTOPIA is not avaìlable at the appointed
tìme. ELTOPIA accepts responsìbìlìty for ìnìtìal trouble ìsolatìon and provìdìng
CenturyLìnk wìth appropriate dìspatch ìnformatìon based on ìts test results. If, as
the result of ELTOPIA ìnstrctìons, CentuLìnk ìs erroneously requested to
dìspatch to a site on CenturLìnk's company premìses ("dìspatch ìn"), a charge
set forth ìn CenturyLìnk's local tariff wìl be assessed per occurrence to
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ELTOPIA by CentuLìnk. If as the result of ELTOPIA's ìnstrctìons,
CentuLink ìs erroneously requested to dìspatch to a sìte outside of
CenturLin's company premìses ("dispatch out"), a charge set forth in
CenturLink's local tarff wìl be assessed per occurrence to ELTOPIA by
CenturLink.
2.5.1 Should no charges applìcable to Section 2.5 above be documented ìn
CenturLink's local tarff, then CenturLìnk shall determìne Tìme and
Materials charges pursuant to Arìcle VII.
3.0 ESCALATION PROCEDURES
3.1 CenturLink wìl provìde ELTOPIA with wrtten escalatìon procedures for
maintenance and repaìr resolutìon to be followed ìf any ìndìvìdual trouble tìcket
or tìckets are not resolved ìn an appropriate fasmon. The escalatìon procedures to
be provided hereunder shall ìnclude names and telephone numbers of
CenturLìnk management personnel who are responsìble for maìntenance and/or
repair ìssues. These escalatìon procedures and contact ìnformatìon are set forth ìn
the CenturLìnk Servìce Guìde.
3.2 On a recìprocal basìs, ELTOPIA wìl provìde CentuLìnk wìth contact and
escalatìon ìnformatìon for coordìnatìon of all maintenance and repaìr ìssues.
4.0 EMERGENCY RESTORATION
4.1 ELTOPIA may contact CenturLìnk ìn order to dìscuss actìvìtìes involvìng the
Central Office and ìnter-office network that may ìmpact ELTOPIA End User
Customers.
4.1.1 CenturLìnk wìl establìsh an SPOC to provìde ELTOPIA WÌth
ìnformatìon relatìng to the status of restoratìon efforts and problem
resolutìon during any restoratìon process.
4.1.2 CentuLink shall establìsh methods and procedures for reprovisiomng of
all Interconnectìon Facìlìtìes and trs after ìnitìal restoratìon.
CenturLìnk agrees that Telecommunìcatìons Servìce Priority ("TSP")
servìces for ELTOPIA car equal priority wìth CentuLìnk TSP servces
for restoratìon. CentuLìnk wìl follow the guìdelìnes establìshed under
the Natìonal Securty Emergency Procedures (NSEP) plan and wìl follow
TSP guìdelìnes for restoratìon of emergency servìces ìn as expedìtìous a
maner as possìble on a non-dìscrimìnatory basìs to respond to and
recover from emergencìes or dìsasters.
5.0 MISDIRECTED REPAIR CALLS
5.1 For mìsdìrected repaìr calls, the Parties wìl provìde theìr respectìve repaìr bureau
contact number(s) to each other on a recìprocal basìs and provide the End User
Customer the correct contact number.
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5.2 In responding to mìsdìrected calls, neìther Pary shall make dìsparagìng remarks
about each other, nor shall they use these calls as a basìs for ìntemal referrals or to
solìcìt End User Customers or to market servces.
6.0 PRICING
6.1 Rates and charges for the relevant servìces provìded under ths Aricle are
ìncluded ìn Arìcle VII (Pricìng), and such rates and charges shall apply.
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ARTICLE VI: ADDITIONAL SERVICES
1.0 NUMBER PORTABILITY
1. I Definìtìons.
For purposes of this Sectìon 1.0 governng number portabìlìty, the followìng
definìtìons shall apply:
1.1.1 "Coordìnated Hot Cut (CHC)" - A Coordìnated Hot Cut ìs a combined
and sìmultaneous effort between local servìce provìders to perform the
completìon of a local servìce request order.
1.1.2 "Donor Party" - The Donor Pary ìs the Pary that ìs receìvìng the number
port request and ìs relinquìsmng the ported number.
1.1.3 "Local Routìng Number (LRN)" - A Local Routìng Number ìs a ten (10)-
dìgìt number that ìs assigned to the network swìtcmng elements for the
routìng of calls ìn the network.
1.1.4 "Permanent Number Portabìlìty" (PNP) is the ìn-place long-term method
of provìdìng Number Portabìlìty (N) usìng the LRN method.
1. 1.5 "Recìpìent Pary" - The Recìpìent Partyis the Pary that ìs ìnìtìating the
number port request and ìs receìving the ported number.
1.1.6 "Ten-Dìgìt Unconditìonal Trigger Method (TDT)" - TDT ìs an industry-
defined PNP solutìon that utìlìzes the ten-dìgìt Local Routìng Number to
provìde for an automated process that permits the work at the Recìpìent
Pary's swìtch to be done autonomously from the work at the Donor
Pary's swìtch resultìng.ìs less downtìme to the end-user.
1.2 Number Portabì1ty (N).
1.2.1 Each Party wìl provìde Local Number Portabìlìty and obtain End User
Customer authorizatìon ìn accordance wìth the Act, and applìcable FCC
rules, regulatìons and orders
1.2.2 A Pary requestìng a number to be ported must send the other provìdìng
Party a Local Servìce Request (LSR). If a Party requests that the other
Pary port a number, the Partìes shall follow the "Local Number
Portabìlìty Ordering Process" set forth ìn CenturLìnk Servìce Guìde and
comply wìth applicable FCC rules, regulatìons and orders.
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1.2.2.1 The LSR wìl have a requested due date that ìs not less than the
standard provìsìonìng ìntervals of four (4) days.
1.2.2.2 Both Parìes agree to provide a Firm Order Confirmatìon (FOC) to
the Recìpìent Pary wìthìn 48 hours from the tìme a "clean" LSR ìs
receìved.
1.2.2.3 For purposes ofthìs Arìcle, the Parìes wìl use a project
management approach for the implementatìon of LSRs for large quantìtìes
of ported numbers (ìn excess of 50 per day) or for complex portìng
processes. Wìth regard to such managed projects ("projects"), the Parìes
may negotìate ìmplementatìon detaìls ìncludìng, but not lìmìted to: Due
Date, Cutover Intervals and Tìmes, Coordinatìon of Technìcal Resources,
and Completion Notìce.
1.2.3 Local Number Portabìlity (LNP) orders may not be expedìted.
1.2.4 The Pary receìvìng the LSR wìl bìl the servìce order charge set forth in
the Pricìng Aricle for each LSR receìved. The Pary wìl bìl the servìce
order charge for a LSR, regardless of whether that LSR ìs later
supplemented, clarified or cancelled. Notwthstandìng the foregoing,
neìther Pary wìl bìl an addìtìonal servìce order charge for supplements
to any LSR submìtted to clarfy, correct, change or cancel a prevìously
submìtted LSR.
1.2.5 Regardless of the number of Locatìon Routìng Numbers (LRNs) used by a
Sprint ìn a LATA, CentuLìnk wìl route traffic destìned for Sprint's End
User Customers vìa dìrecttrìng where dìrect trng has been
establìshed. In the event that dìrect trng has not been establìshed,
such traffic shall be routed vìa a Tandem Swìtch.
1.2.6 When CenturLìnk receìves an unqueried call from Sprint to a telephone
number that has been ported to another local servìces provìder, the transìt
rate and NP dip charge found ìn the applicable tarìff wìl apply.
1.2.7 Neìther Pary shall be requìred to provìde Number Portabìlity under thìs
Agreement for excluded numbers defined by FCC orders or other
Applicable Law, as updated from tìme to tìme, ìncludìng but not limited
to: 500 NP As; 900 NP As; 950 and 976 NX number servìces; and OCS
NXs (i.e., numbers used ìnternally by eìther Pary for ìts own business
puroses). The term "Officìal Communìcatìons Servìce (OCS)" means the
ìnternal telephone numbers used by CentuLìnk or Sprint.
1.2.8 When a ported telephone number becomes vacant, e.g., the telephone
number ìs no longer ìn servìce by the origìnal End User Customer, the
ported telephone number wìl snap-back to the LERG-assìgned thousands
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block holder or the NXX code holder ìf poo1ìng ìs beìng utilìzed ìn the
Rate Center.
1.2.9 Each Pary shall become responsìble for the End User Customer's other
telecommunìcatìons-related ìtems, e.g., E911, Dìrectory Lìstìngs, Operator
Servìces, Line Informatìon Database (LIDR), when ìt ports the end user's
telephone number to ìts swìtch.
1.3 Cut-Over Process for Number Porting Orders
1.3.1 TDT Cut-Overs.
1.3.1.1 Where techncally feasìble, both Parìes wìll use PNP-LRN cut-
overs, whìch rely upon the Ten-Dìgìt Uncondìtìonal Trigger
Method (TDT) for portìng numbers. CentuLìnk wìl update ìts
CentuLìnk Servìce Guìde to ìdentìfy the cìrcumstances of whìch
ìt ìs aware where use of TDT ìs not technically feasìble.
1.3.1.2 The Donor Pary agrees to set the ten-dìgìt uncondìtìonal trgger by
5 :00 p.m. Central Tìme on the day before the scheduled due date.
1.3.1.3 The Donor Pary agrees to remove the ten-dìgìt uncondìtìonal
trgger on the next Busìness Day, no earlìer than 11 :59 a.m., after
the scheduled due date for the port and replace wìth a PNP trgger,
unless the Recìpìent Pary requests otherwìse by contactìng the
Donor Pary and submittìng a supplemental order.
1.3.2 Coordìnated Hot Cuts CCHC).
1.3.2.1 Where the Parìes agree or are required to ìttplement a Coordìnated
Hot Cut (CHC) to effectuate a servce cut-over, the Parìes shall
follow the process and procedures for such CHCs set fort ìn the
CentuLink Servìce Guìde.
1.3.2.2 Pricìng for Number Portabìlìty Coordìnated Hot Cuts CCHCs).
1.3.2.2.1 When a Recìpìent Pary orders Coordinated Hot Cut
(CHC) servìce, the Donor Pary shall charge, and the
Recìpìent Party shall pay, the applìcable time, addìtìonal
Tìme and Material Charges set forth ìn Arìcle VII
(Pricìng).
1.3.2.2.2 For calculatìng "time" and/or "addìtional tìme" labor
charges, the tìme shall begìn when the Donor Party receìves
the call from Recìpìent Pary and ends when the Parìes
dìsconnect from the call.
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2.0 ACCESS TO POLES, DUCTS, CONDUITS AND RIGHTS-OF-WAY
2.1 Vìa Tariff or Separate Agreement
To the extent requìred by the Act, ìncludìng the requìrement that a requesting
Telecommunìcatìons Carer be a provider of Telecommunicatìons Servìces as
defined by 47 U.S.C. § 153(46), CentuyLìnk and ELTOPIA shall each afford to
the other access to the poles, ducts, conduìts and rights-of-way (ROWs) that ìt
owns or controls on terms, condìtìons and prices comparable to those offered to
any other entìty pursuant to each Pary's tarffs and/or standard agreements, or as
agreed to by the Parìes and ìn accordance wìth Applìcable Law and regulatìons.
Accordìngly, ìf CentuyLìnk or ELTOPIA desìres access to the other Pary's
poles, ducts, conduìts or ROWs, the Pary seekìng access shall make such a
request ìn wrtìng, and the Parìes shall negotìate the terms and conditìons for
such access ìn accordance wìth Applìcable Law. Such terms and condìtìons shall
be contaìned ìn separate, stand-alone agreement.
2.2 Pole Attachment & Conduìt Occupancy Agreements
ELTOPIA agrees that pole attachment and conduìt occupancy agreements must be
executed separately before ìt makes any pole attachments to CenturLìnk's
facìlìtìes or uses CentuLìnk's conduìt. Unauthorized pole attachments or
unauthorized use of conduìt wìl constìtute a material breach ofthìs Agreement.
3.0 TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR PROVIDING INTERCONNECTION AND
DATABASE ACCESS FOR 9111E911 SERVICES
Where CenturLìnk ìs the 911/E911 servìce provìder ìn a parìcular Rate Center ìn whìch
ELTOPIA ìs authorized to provìde Telephone Exchange Servìce, ELTOPIA may connect
to the CenturyLìnk 911/E911 Se1ectìve Router (SR) that serves such Rate Centers for the
provìsìon of 911/E911 servìces to ìts End User Customers and for access to all
subtendìng Publìc Safety Answering Poìnts (PSAPs). CenturyLìnk's provìsìon of such
911/E911 servìces to ELTOPIA shall be governed by the rates, terms and condìtìons set
forth ìn CentuLìnk's applìcable Tarff.
4.0 DIRECTORY LISTINGS & DIRECTORY DISTRIBUTION
4.1 Publìshed dìrectory lìstìngs and dìrectory dìstributìon services for ELTOPIA's
End User Customers wìl be provìded by CenturyLink to ELTOPIA pursuant to
the rates, terms and condìtìons set forth ìn CenturLìnk's applìcable Tarff, where
such Tarff ìs available. If no applìcable Tariff ìs avaì1able, CenturLìnk shall
provìde such dìrectory lìstìngs and dìrectory dìstrbutìon servìces pursuant to
separate Dìrectory Servìce Agreement (DSA) terms between CenturyLìnk and
ELTOPIA whìch wìl be attached to thìs Agreement as an Amendment.
4.2 The Parìes acknowledge that CenturLìnk ìs not a Dìrectory Assìstance (DA)
provìder. CenturLink provìdes dìrectory lìstìngs ìnformatìon for ìts subscribers
to third pary DA provìders to be ìnc1uded ìn the national and local databases
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used by such thìrd pary provìders. The Pares agree that to the extent the DA
provìder contracted by ELTOPIA for DA servìces to ELTOPIA's subscribers
also populates the natìonal DA database, then ELTOPIA's DA lìstìngs have been
made avaìlable to CenturyLìnk's subscribers and no fuher effort ìs needed by
either Pary. If for any reason, ELTOPIA desìres that CenturLìnk act as a
mìddleman conduìt for the placement of ELTOPIA's DA lìstìngs ìn the DA
database(s), then CenturLìnk shall provìde such compensable DA lìstìngs
servce pursuant to separate DA ters between CenturLìnk and ELTOPIA
whìch wìl be attached to tils Agreement as an Amendment.
5.0 NETWORK INTERFACE DEVICE
5.1 CenturLìnk wìl provìde nondìscrimìnatory access to eìther sìde of the Network
Interface Devìce (NID). CenturLìnk shall provìde access to the NI under the
followìng terms and condìtìons. Rates and charges applìcable to NIDs are set
forth ìn Arìcle VII (Pricìng), and such rates and charges shall apply.
5.2 The NI ìs defined as any means of ìnterconnectìon of customer premìses wiring
to CenturLìnk's distrbution plant, such as a cross-connect devìce used for that
purose. Fundamentally, the NID establìshes the closest access point to the
demarcatìon poìnt between the loop (ìnclusìve of the NID) and the End User
Customer's ìnsìde wìre. Except ìn multì-unìt tenant propertìes where
CentuLìnk owns and maìntaìns control over ìnsìde wìre wìthn a buìldìng,
maìntenance and control of the End User Customer's insìde wìring (i.e., on the
End User Customer's sìde of the NI) ìs under the control of the End User
Customer. Confhcts between telephone servìce provìders for access to the End
User's ìnsìde wìre on the End User's sìde of the NID must be resolved by the End
User.
5.3 ELTOPIA may obtain access to the NID on CentuLìnk's network sìde or the
End User Customer's sìde on a stand-alone basìs to permìt ELTOPIA to connect
ìts own loop facìlìtìes to the premìses wìring at any customer locatìon. ELTOPIA
may not connect to or otherwìse access the End User Customer sìde of the NID
except ìn accordance wìth these terms. Any repaìrs, upgrade and/or
rearangements to the NID requested or requìred by ELTOPIA wìl be performed
by CenturLìnk based on the Tìme and Material Charges set out ìn Aricle VII
(pricìng). CentuyLìnk, at the request of ELTOPIA, wìl dìsconnect the
CenturLìnk Local Loop from the NID, at charges reflected ìn Arìcle VII
(Pricìng). ELTOPIA may elect todìsconnect CentuLìnk's Local Loop from the
NID on the customer's sìde of the NI, but ELTOPIA shall not perform any
disconnect on the network sìde of the NI. Under no cìrcumstances, however,
shall ELTOPIA connect to either sìde of the NID unless the CentuLìnk network
ìs first dìsconnected from the NID as set forth ìn tms Arìcle.
5.4 Wìth respect to multìple dwellng unts or multìple-unt busìness premìses,
ELTOPIA shall have the optìon of connectìng dìrectly wìth the End User's
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premìses wire, or may connect with the End User's premises wire via
CenturLìnk's NID.
5.5 CentuLìnk shall be under no oblìgatìon to ìnstall a NID ìn order to enable
ELTOPIA to ìnterconnect to such NID, but CentuLìnk shall make avaìlable to
ELTOPIA any NI that exìsts at the time ELTOPIA seeks ìnterconnectìons to a
NID to serve an End User Customer. The NIs that ELTOPIA uses under thìs
Arìcle wìl be exìstìng NIDs already ìnstalled by CentuLink to serve ìts End
Users.
5.6 In no case shall ELTOPIA access, remove, dìsconnect or in any other way
rearange CentuyLìnk's loop facilìtìes from CentuLìnk's NIDs, enclosures or
protectors. In no case shall ELTOPIA attach to, remove or dìsconnect ground
wìres from CentuLìnk's NIDs, enclosures or protectors. In no case shall
ELTOPIA remove or dìsconnect NID modules, protectors or termìnals from
CentuLìnk's NID enclosures.
5.7 ELTOPIA may access the End User Customer's sìde of the NID for the purose
of dìsconnectìng and capping off the End User's premìses wiring or removìng the
End User's premìses wìring for connectìon to ELTOPIA's own NID WÌthout any
charge to ELTOPIA beìng ìncurred. Any other access to the End User Customer's
sìde of the NID that involves the ìnsertìon or use of any wìring owned or provided
by ELTOPIA ìn a connectìon of any type to the End User premìses wìring or to
any NI fuctìonalìty, ìncludìng a NI to NI connectìon, shall be consìdered a
bìlable use of the CentuLìnk NI.
5.8 Ordering Processes & Provìsìonìng Intervals. The ordering processes and
standard provìsìonìng ìntervals applìcable to NIDs made avaìlable pursuant to thìs
Arìcle shall be as set forth ìn the CentuLink Servìce Guìde. Standard
provìsìoning ìntervals shall be substantìally the same as the ìntervals under whìch
CentuLìnk provìsìons the same servìce to ìtself.
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ARTICLE VII: PRICING
I. GENERA PRICING
Pre-ordering Non-recurring Charges (NRCs)
Account Establìshment
Local Servìce Request Charge Per Order Submìtted
(includìng Number Portabìlty & NID LSRs)
Customer Record Search Per Account
Expedìte Request Charge
$274.63
$ 15.55
$ 11.75
$150.00
(The following NRCs are ìn addìtìon to other NRCs as applìcable):
Coordinated Conversions:
iso
Central Offce Connectìon
Outsìde Facility Connectìon
$ 18.61
$ 9.03
$ 8.46
Hot Coordinated Conversion Per Hour:
iSO
Central Office Connectìon
Outsìde Facìlìty Connectìon
$ 24.56
$ 36.13
$ 33.84
Applìcatìon ofNRCs
Pre-ordering:
"CLEC Account Establìshment" ìs a one-tìme charge applìed the first tìme
that ELTOPIA orders any servìce "from a CentuLìnk affilìate.
"Customer Record Search" applìes when ELTOPIA requests a sumary
ofthe servìces curently subscribed to by the End User Customer.
"Servìce Order Charge" all for all LSRs (ìncluding Number Portabìlìty and
NID LSRs) wìl be applìcable when submìttìng a Local Servìce Request (LSR) for
any reason other than for CSR puroses. The Servìce Order Charge covers the
admìnìstratìve order processìng costs and ìs not assocìated wìth the recovery of
any technìcal or: materials costs that may be recovered through other charges.
CenturLìnk wìl bìl the servìce order charge for an LSR regardless ìfthe LSR ìs
later supplemented, clarified, or cáncelled.
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Custom Handlìng (These NRCs are in addition to any Pre-ordering or Orderig
and Provìsìonìng NRCs):
"Servìce Order Expedite" applìes ìfELTOPIA requests servìce prior to the
standard due date ìntervals.
"Coordìnated Hot Cut" applìes when the LSR (Local Servìce
Request) requests a Coordìnated Hot Cut - a combined and sìmultaneous
effort between CenturLìnk and ELTOPIA to perform the completion of a
local servìce request order.
"Time and Materials" charges apply for non-standard or ìndìvìdual-case-
basìs work requested by ELTOPIA.
NI Outsìde Facility Connectìon applìes ìn addìtìon to the iso when
ìncremental fieldwork is requìred.
II. INTERCONNECTION PRICING
Interconnectìon pricìng wìl be applìed as defined and pursuant to the terms ìn Arìcle IV.
A. Recìprocal Compensatìon
Local Traffc Per MOU TBD
ISP-Bound Traffic Bìl & Keep
VN Traffic Bìl & Keep
B. Tandem Transìt Charge per MOU $0.005
C. Inìtìal Factors:
Inìtìal CenturyLìnk Orgìnated Local Traffic Factor 50%
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Eltopia Communications. LLC
By: W.1 d. (\ ~ ~
Name: ~.f. \ \ L. Me c. \\.. \ \.
Title: Prt'i'. A (. - '\
Date: ~ W":ó 10
SIGNATURE PAGE
CenturyTel of the Gem State, Inc.
d/b/a CenturyLink
CenturyTel of Idaho, Inc.
d//a CenturyLink
I"BY:~
Name: Michael R. Hunsucker
Title: Director-Contract Management
Date: et- "-/0
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